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Qlmient  BouMe  Cntrp 

^Eutag  5acio(i*s(  Wnati^t  (a.  ©.  1494 

— tfjc  earliesit  fenotun  toriter  on  tjoofefeeeprng)  Vt= 

probuteb  anb  transilateb  luitf)  reprobuc= 
tiong,  notes;  anb  ab^tractsi  from  Man- 
^oni,  J^ietra,  JUainarbi,  gmppn,  g>tetiin 
anb  Bafforne 


& 


j^' 


■>%' 


3Iol)n  15.  (^timezk,  IH.'B.,  90.C.©,,  C.p.a. 

1914 


W 


PubUd&eti  b? 

31obn  15.  (Seffsbeefe 

SDenber.  Colorado 


Copyright  1914 


By  the  Author 


DeDicateD  to  6@p  mift 

\obo8t  initials!  3  batie  aIUiap0  loDeD  to  connect  toitl) 

0lv  itittle  ^toeetfjcart, 

toitbout  most  patience,  kinDness,  belp, 
anD  inDuIgence,  mp  contritjutions  to  tie 
eDucational  fielD  of  tbe  professional 
accountant  tooulD  not  t)at)e  been  possible. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


IntroduL'tion 

Preface 

Partial  Bibliography  . 
Historical  References 

Historical 

Discursion  in  Theory . 
Lucas  Pacioli 


Page 

(By  Page  Lawrence,  C.P.A.) 1 

(By  the  Author) 3 


(By  the  Author) 8 

("    "         "      ) 14 


Domenico  Manzoni 


Don  Angelo  Pietra 


Matteo  Mainardi 

a  t  ( 

((  <c 

Jan  Ympyn  Christolf els 
Simon  Stevin 


Richard  Dafforne 


Reproduced (Author's  explanation) 17 

Title  Page (photographic  reproduction) 18 

What  was  his  real  name 21 

Abbreviations  used  24-25 

Peculiar  sayings 27 

Comparative  index  of  the  earliest  writers 29 

Entire  Text (photographic  reproduction) 32  to  80 

Complete  translation  of  entire  text 33  to  81 

Journal    (photographic  reproduction) 82 

Author's  notes  on  reproduction 83 

Abstracts  from  text 84 

Rules  for  Journalizing 85 

Index  to  original  text 85 

Journal  and  Ledger  reproduced (Notes  by  Author) 87 

Index  to  original  text 89 

Extent  of  original  text 91 


photographic  reproduction) 93 

) 94 

) 95  to  96 

) 97  to  107 

(Notes  by  Author) 107 

photographic  reproduction) 108 

) 109 

) 110 

) 112 

Author's  notes 113 

Journal  and  Ledger  reproduced (Notes  by  Author) 114-118 


Title  Page 

Chart 

Journal 

Ledger 

Journal  reproduced 

Title  Page 

Introduction  to  Executor's  Books 

Journal 

Title  Page 


Title  Page 

Balance  Sheet 

Profit  and  Loss  Account. 

Journal 

Ledger 

Controlling  Account 


photographic  reproduction) 119 


) 


). 


.120 

.121 

.122  to  127 

.128  to  135 

.136 


Partially  reproduced (Notes  by  Author) 137 


Title  Page 

Epistle  Dedicatory 

Antiquity  of  Bookkeeping . 

Index 

Text 

Journal 

Ledger 

Trial  Balance 


photographic  reproduction) 140 

) 141 


Afterword . 


.144 

.145 

.147  to  171 

.172 

.174  to  179 

.180 

.182 


INTRODUCTION 

By  Page  Lawrence,  C.P.A. 

Nearly  all  historians,  when  tracing  the  gi'owth  of  an  art  or  science  from  mere  empiricism  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  recognized  principles,  are  confronted  with  an  apparent  insurmountable  gap  or  complete  silence 
during  the  period  known  in  history  as  the  Dark  Ages. 

Archaeological  and  historical  researches  have  convinced  this  civilization  that  in  Ancient  Babylon, 
Greece  and  Rome  there  was  a  high  state  of  civilization — both  industrial  and  social. 

Today  we  may  study  Aristotle's  politics  with  great  profit  in  our  attempts  to  understand  the  political 
and  economic  conditions  confronting  this  generation.  An  acquaintance  with  the  Greek  philosophers  is  es- 
sential in  undei'standing  our  present  philosophical  thought. 

It  would  seem  that,  since  we  find  so  much  help  in  consulting  these  ancient  writers  in  an  attempt  to 
solve  the  political  problems  of  today  which  are  presented  by  this  complex  civilization,  in  a  large  measure 
at  least  our  mentors  must  have  been  confronted  with  the  same  economic  and  industrial  difficulties  that  we 
are  attempting  to  solve  now  as  accountants. 

One  is  convinced  that  the  ancient  writers  on  political  economy  and  commerce  were  closely  allied  with 
the  scribes  or  accountants  who  recorded  the  business  transactions  of  those  days.  This  allegiance  seems  to 
have  been  lost  after  the  Roman  supremacy  (and  the  consequent  growth  and  spread  of  commerce),  and  it 
is  only  within  recent  years  that  the  modern  economist  and  accountant  has  acknowledged  that  a  truer  un- 
derstanding of  modern  commerce  can  be  had  with  cooperation  and  that  the  two  sciences  (economics  and 
accounting)  are  finding  so  much  in  common  that  each  is  dependent  upon  the  other  for  a  full  understanding 
of  modern  business  conditions. 

Mr.  John  P.  Young,  Editor  of  the  San  Francisco  Chronicle,  ably  presented  accounting  in  antiquity 
before  the  convention  of  the  American  Association  of  Public  Accountants  at  San  Francisco  (Year  Book 
1911,  page  153).  He  showed  that  Rome  in  Cicero's  time  was  dependent  upon  the  independent  verifica- 
tion of  accounts  and  statements  thereof  by  one  skilled  in  accountancy.  The  familiarity  with  which  he 
mentions  the  accountant  would  seem  to  indicate  that  his  place  in  the  Roman  social  organization  was  well 
established. 

However,  after  the  recorded  utterances  of  Cicero  the  historian  finds  in  the  pages  of  history  no  further 
mention  of  those  individuals  acknowledged  to  be  skilled  in  accounts,  which  we  are  pleased  to  call  account- 
ants, until  the  writings  of  Paeioli  in  1494  and  Stevin  in  1604. 

It  seems  especially  appropriate  that  one  so  greatly  interested  as  the  author  in  that  work  dear  to  the 
hearts  of  all  progressive  accountants,  and  who  has  done  so  much  to  place  the  education  of  the  accountant 
on  equal  footing  with  that  of  law  or  medicine,  should  be  the  first  of  modern  times  to  translate  this  first  re- 
corded book  of  the  principles  of  debit  and  credit  into  the  English  language. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  the  rules  and  principles  elucidated  by  Paeioli  are  contained  in  a  book  given 
over  to  mathematics.  One  cannot  help  but  believe  that  the  derivation  of  double-entry  bookkeeping  is  an 
explanation  of  the  algebraic  equation  used  with  sucli  skill  by  the  ancient  Greek  mathematicians,  applied 
practically  to  the  scientific  recording  of  business  transactions  for,  just  as  in  algebra,  the  equation  once 
established  cannot  be  changed  but  by  the  addition  of  positive  or  negative  quantities. 

This  work  will  give  an  added  assurance  that  the  apparently  empirical  rules  of  commerce  are  based 
upon  an  ancient  scientific  and  mathematical  foundation,  to  those  who  have  attempted  to  instill  into  the 
commercial  mind  the  idea  that  accountancy  is  a  science,  the  prime  requisite  of  a  mastery  of  which  is  a  thor- 
ough education  in  the  theory  of  economics  and  allied  sciences  supplemented  by  practical  experimentation 
in  the  application  of  formulae  to  practical  biisiness  situations. 

The  accountant  has  to  correct  constantly,  or  at  least  modify,  the  attitude  of  the  business  man  toward 
matters  which  are  his  dearest  heirlooms  handed  down  from  the  days  of  the  Ancient  Guild  system,  i.  e., 
that  the  only  wa.y  to  learn  how  to  do  business  is  to  do  it  along  the  rule-of-thumb  method  communicated 
from  father  to  son  by  word  of  mouth. 

Accountants,  who  remember  the  dearth  of  accountanc.y  literature  in  this  country  up  to  a  h\v  short 
years  ago,  are  dumbfounded  at  the  mass  of  accountancy  publications  which  are  constantly  flooding  the 
market  at  this  time.  While  I  believe  that  the  profession  of  accountancy  as  a  whole  recognizes  the  ines- 
timable value  of  these  publications,  one  cannot  help  but  think  in  perusing  their  pages  that  they  are  largely 
influenced  b.y  the  empirical  methods  of  general  business,  rather  than  based  on  scientific  principles.  In 
other  words,  on  "how"  but  never  "why." 

We  are  wont  to  look  in  vain  through  mazes  of  descriptions,  forms  and  precedence  of  some  particular 
business  enterprise  for  a  principle  of  accountancy  which  can  be  applied  to  the  specific  difficulty  we  have 
in  hand.  It  should  be  the  aim  of  some  of  the  brilliant  members  of  the  profession  of  accountancy  to  take 
the  great  mass  of  historical  records  which  have  been  published  in  the  last  few  years  of  how  this  or  that 
business  should  be  kept  and,  with  the  aid  of  recognized  authorities  on  economics,  codify,  with  quotation  of 
their  source,  the  scattered  and  ill  defined  principles  of  accountancy  for  the  benefit  of  accountancy  educa- 
tion, and  to  this  end  no  better  examples  of  axiomatic  principles  can  be  had  than  in  the  books  of  Paeioli, 
Pietra  and  Stevin. 


The  author,  recoguiziug  from  his  experience  as  an  educator  in  accountancy  (coming  as  he  did  from 
Holland  some  twenty  years  ago  without  knowledge  of  American  commercial  practices  or  language)  the 
lack  of  clearly  expressed  principles  in  accountancy,  commenced  researches  which  have  finally  culminated 
in  this  published  translation  in  English  of  the  first  known  writings  on  the  subject  of  double  entry  book- 
keeping. 

At  every  turn,  in  the  preachment  of  the  scientific  principles  of  his  profession  to  the  commercial  mind, 
in  his  successful  efforts  for  the  passage  of  the  Certified  Public  Accounts  law  in  Colorado,  then  in  his  work 
as  secretary  of  the  first  examining  board  in  that  state,  in  his  labors  as  Dean  of  the  School  of  Commerce, 
Accounts  and  Finance  of  The  University  of  Denver,  and  as  an  instructor  on  practical  and  theoretical  ac- 
countancy subjects  and,  finally  as  Chairman  of  the  Educational  Committee  of  The  American  Association  of 
Public  Accountants,  the  author  has  ever  been  confronted  with  the  dearth  of  practical  exemplification,  his- 
torical or  otherwise,  of  the  true  foundation  of  what  in  modern  times  might  be  called  the  Art  of  Accountancy. 

To  weld  together  into  a  well  balanced  whole  the  two  plans  of  accountancy  education,  as  embraced  in 
the  curriculi  of  universities  and  colleges  offering  training  to  the  embryo  accountant,  has  long  been  the  goal 
of  his  educational  endeavors,  i.  e.,  to  leaven  the  purely  academic  training  by  instructors  or  professors 
whose  own  knowledge  of  accountancy  is  in  the  main  pedagogical,  with  the  practical  knowledge  as  imparted 
by  the  practicing  accountant  and  the  business  man.  (The  author,  in  the  American  Association  of  Public 
Accountants  Year  Books  for  1911-12-13  and  14,  has  gone  into  this  subject  extensively,  showing  that  educa- 
tional institutions  of  the  country  have  chosen  either  the  one  or  the  other  of  the  two  methods  of  teaching — 
the  academic  training  in  pure  theory,  treated  in  much  the  same  manner  as  economic  subjects  are  presented 
and  without  the  same  degree  of  accuracy,  or  the  practical  lecturing  upon  accountancy  subjects  by  practic- 
ing accountants  and  business  men,  supplemented  by  the  best  text  books  obtainable — and  urging  the  while 
the  necessity  for  the  development  together  of  the  two  accountancy  educational  plans,  as  is  done  in  Great 
Britain.) 

While  it  is  true  that  to  men  of  little  or  no  practical  experience  in  accountancy  must  be  given  the  credit 
for  producing  some  of  the  finest  examples  of  purely  theoretical  accounting  which  the  literature  of  accoun- 
tancy has  today,  the  first  mentioned  criticism  that  this  pedagogical  instruction  does  not  teach  the  actual 
application  of  the  theory  to  modern  business,  again  applies.  On  the  other  liand,  with  the  practical  ac- 
countant as  the  instructor  or  the  writer  of  text  books,  too  little  cannot  be  said  of  the  difficulty  he  has  in 
imparting  to  students  and  laymen  the  principles  which  seem  exceedingly  clear  to  him.  And  it  was  through 
this  research,  this  labor  to  combine  in  accountancy  education  theory  with  practice  and  practice  with  theory, 
that  this  book  was  born.  It  is  apparent  in  reading  the  ancient  works  of  Pacioli,  of  Stevin  and  Pietra,  in 
their  exhaustive  explanations  and  their  lengthy  and  precise  instructions  that  in  their  endeavors  to  system- 
atize the  recording  of  the  transactions  of  commerce  of  their  time,  they  encountered  many  of  the  same  sort 
of,  if  not  the  identical,  problems  with  which  we  are  confronted  today.  The  modern  translations  of  their 
works,  with  the  author's  own  views  presented  as  notes,  it  is  believed  will  shed  some  light  into  the  darkness 
which  has  so  long  shrouded  the  actual  foundation  of  the  practice  and  the  theory  of  the  profession  of  pub- 
lic accountancy. 

Denver,  Colorado,  August,  1914. 


PREFACE 


As  no  technical  books  worth  while  can  be  prepared  without  diligent  and  persistent  research,  it  natur- 
ally follows  that  no  such  works  can  be  produced  unless  there  is  material  furnished  to  build  upon,  and  the 
cheapest  and  easiest  foundation  is  usually  the  writings  of  men  who  have  excelled  in  the  same  line  of  en- 
deavor. In  other  words,  a  library  of  books  is  absolutely  essential  to  the  advancement  of  thought  on  tech- 
nical and  professional  subjects. 

While  studying  to  Americanize  my  knowledge  of  accountancy  twenty  years  ago,  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  there  were  then  on  that  subject  few  modern  books  and  still  fewer  ancient  ones.  This  convic- 
tion was  constantly  strengthened  by  conversation  with  my  fellow-workers,  and  it  remained  unchanged  un- 
til a  few  years  ago. 

When  my  duties  came  to  include  the  teaching  of  accountancy  and  the  direction  of  the  thought  of  my 
students,  the  choice  of  books  for  their  reading  became  a  serious  problem.  It  was  then  my  privilege  to  start 
the  collection  of  a  considerable  library  of  works  on  accountancy  and  its  allied  subjects. 

However,  I  could  learn  of  but  few  books  of  ancient  date,  and  they  were  so  scarce,  difiScult  to  get,  and 
high  priced,  that  most  of  them  remain  yet  to  be  acquired.  Among  those  which  I  did  get  is  an  original 
copy  of  the  oldest  published  work  on  bookkeeping.  The  price  for  copies  of  this  book  ranges  from  $50  to 
$250,  and  it  is  thus  not  within  the  means  of  ordinary  students  and  is  even  beyond  the  inclination  of  ac- 
quisition of  many  of  the  most  wealthy  libraries.  It  became  my  desire  to  have  it  reproduced,  together  with  a 
free  translation  of  its  most  important  parts. 

This  desire  increased  when  my  research  showed  me  that  the  first  man  to  follow  the  teachings  of  this 
Italian  book  and  to  translate  it  into  another  language,  was  a  fellow-countryman  of  mine,  a  Hollander 
named  Jan  Ympyn  Christoffels.  He  translated  it  into  the  Holland,  French,  and  English  languages,  and 
to  this  day  we  follow  his  lead,  (as  outlined  in  the  title  of  his  book),  of  calling  double-entry  bookkeeping 
by  the  use  of  day  book,  journal,  and  ledger,  the  Italian  method  of  bookkeeping. 

The  Hollanders  of  ancient  New  Amsterdam  (now  New  York)  have  left  their  unmistakable  imprint 
on  our  American  political  and  social  life,  by  the  introduction  into  this  country  of  many  things  which  orig- 
inated in  their  mother-coiuitry  and  which  were  unknown  even  in  England  prior  to  their  use  in  America. 
To  this  day  many  of  these  things  remain  unused  in  England,  which  is  one  reason  why  we  are  so  different 
from  the  English.     Among  these  things  may  be  mentioned  :* 

The  recording  of  deeds  and  mortgages  in  a  public  office ;  the  equal  distribution  of  property  among  the 
children  of  a  person  dying  intestate ;  the  office  of  a  district  attorney  in  each  comity ;  the  practice  of  giving 
a  prisoner  the  free  services  of  a  lawyer  for  his  defense ;  the  township  system,  by  which  each  town  has  local 
self-government;  the  practice  of  making  prisoners  work;  the  turning  of  prisons  into  work  houses;  the 
system  of  university  education ;  free  public  school  system ;  the  red,  white  and  blue  striped  flag ;  the  prin- 
ciples contained  in  our  Declaration  of  Independence ;  the  granting  of  religious  freedom ;  the  cultivation  of 
roses ;  the  present  banking  system ;  the  use  of  reading  and  spelling  books  for  children ;  the  telescope ;  the 
microscope ;  the  thermometer ;  the  discovery  of  capillary  circulation  of  tlie  blood ;  the  pendulum  clock ; 
measuring  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude ;  the  compass ;  the  wind-mill  with  movable  cap ;  the  glass  hot- 
house ;  the  use  of  underclothing ;  the  bedstead ;  the  brick ;  the  game  of  golf. 

It  has  seemed  to  me  fitting  that  another  Hollander  should  present  to  his  American  professional  breth- 
ren, and  put  within  the  reach  of  every  student  of  accounting,  for  research  and  study,  a  reproduction  of 
that  prized  Italian  book,  which,  as  we  shall  see,  has  influenced  us  to  such  an  extent  that  the  principles  it 
enunciates  as  of  use  in  its  day,  remain  the  foundation  of  our  present  methods  of  bookkeeping. 

It  was  not  my  aim  to  give  a  complete  literal  translation,  because  much  of  the  text  is  reiteration  and 
pertains  to  subject-matter  purely  local  and  now  entirely  obsolete,  which  would  necessitate  lengthy  expla- 
nations of  ancient  methods  of  no  present  value  or  use.  Therefore,  numerous  foreign  terms  and  ancient 
names  have  been  left  untranslated.  Furthermore,  as  the  book  was  written  in  contemporary  Italian,  or,  in 
other  words,  in  the  local  dialect  of  Venice,  which  is  neither  Italian  nor  Latin,  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  get 
local  talent  sufficiently  trained  in  this  work  to  translate  it  all  literally. 

The  old  style  of  writing  is  unattractive  and  tiresome  to  follow.  While  it  is  customary  and  proper  in 
translations  to  follow  the  original  style  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  cliange  it  no  more  than  is  necessary  to 
make  it  readily  understood  and  easily  read  in  modern  language,  it  was  found  extremely  difficult  to  do  that 
in  this  instance,  and  furthermore,  it  would  have  served  no  practical  purpose.  And  then,  who  is  there  at 
the  present  time  but  a  scholar  of  some  eminence  and  a  linguist  of  no  mean  accomplishment,  who  will  pre- 
sume to  say  what  is  correct  and  what  is  incorrect  ?  Such  authorities  never  agree  among  themselves,  and  it 
would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  please  them  all.  Therefore,  we  are  extending  the  translations,  not  so  much 
for  academic  purposes  as  for  the  practical  use  of  less  pedantic  people,  upon  the  theory  that  they  who  wish 
to  obtain  knowledge  of  any  science  must  first  learn  its  history  and  then  trace  its  gradual  growth.  There 
is  hardly  another  science  about  which  there  is  as  much  doubt  and  darkness  as  bookkeeping,  and  therefore  we 
merely  present  this  translation  as  a  contribution  to  the  history  of  bookkeeping. 


♦William  Elliott  Griffls  in  "The  Ladies'  Home  Journal." 


Criticism  has  beeu  made  of  the  title  of  this  book,  ' '  Aucieut  Double-Entry  Bookkeeping, ' '  in  the  use  of 
the  word  "Ancient"  as  applied  to  the  year  1493  A.  D.  The  long  obscurity  of  the  "Dark  Ages,"  during 
which  there  was  no  light  whatever  upon  this  important  subject,  has,  in  our  belief,  made  the  treatise  of 
Pacioli  ancient,  and,  further  the  abrupt  "leap  through  the  dark"  from  this  ancient  work  to  the  works  of 
modern  times,  we  believe  justifies  the  title. 

The  reader  is  further  referred  to  the  German  translation  of  Pacioli 's  book  by  E.  L.  Jager  which  ap- 
peared in  1876,  and  the  Russian  translation  by  E.  G.  Waldenberg  which  was  printed  in  St.  Petersburg  in 
1893. 

Pacioli 's  book  was  first  photographed  and  plates  made  from  these  photographs.  Proof  sheets  from  these 
plates  were  then  sent  to  Rome,  Italy,  and  there  transcribed  on  a  typewriter  in  modern  letters,  to  facilitate 
translating.  The  typewritten  transcript  was  then  translated  into  Engli.sh,  which  was  then  compared  with 
an  existing  Grerman  translation  by  Dr.  Jager.  Discrepancies  were  carefully  noted  by  reference  to  the  orig- 
inal book,  and  the  best  possible  corrections  made.  This  method  brought  to  the  surface  obvious  and  glar- 
ing short-comings  in  the  German  translation,  and  it  also  demonstrated  our  own  inability  to  comprehend 
and  properly  translate  some  of  the  old  terms  and  words,  which  even  the  Italy  of  today  has  long  forgotten. 
With  it  all  then,  we  are  free  to  admit  that  in  numerous  places  our  English  translation  is  defective.  How- 
ever, we  are  not  imposing  on  those  who  are  better  scholars  than  we,  because  we  give  the  original  Italian 
side  by  side  with  our  English  version,  and  any  one  so  disposed  can  easily  check  it  and  correct  our  copy  to 
suit  his  fancy. 

The  only  object  of  our  endeavors  is  to  give  something  where  there  was  nothing  to  those  who  hereto- 
fore could  not  avaU  themselves  of  the  contents  of  this  old  and  pioneer  work  on  a  subject  now  universally 
recognized  as  being  the  foundation  of  all  our  modern  industrial  and  commercial  problems. 

We  ask  your  indulgence  for  errors  and  omissions,  and  for  the  price  of  this  book,  as  the  work  had  to 
be  done  hastily  and  cheaply,  for  the  financial  success  of  this  enterprise  is  exceedingly  problematical,  owing 
to  the  excessive  cost  of  preparation  and  reproduction,  and  the  very  small  possible  circulation.  The  work 
therefore  should  be  viewed  largely  as  a  labor  of  love,  a  voluntary  philanthropic  contribution  to  the  pro- 
fession of  accountancy. 

Acknowledgment  is  due  and  most  gladly  given  to :  my  wife,  a  Certified  Public  Accountant  of  the  State 
of  Colorado,  who  aided  with  the  German  translation ;  to  Mr.  Robert  Ferrari,  LL.D.  Roma,  Italy,  who 
aided  with  the  Italian  translation ;  to  Mr.  Henry  Rand  Hatfield,  PH.D.,  University  of  California,  who  crit- 
icized the  work ;  and  to  Mr.  Page  Lawrence,  C.P.A.,  who  wrote  the  introduction : — truly  a  veritable  com- 
bination (trust)  of  formidable  minds  in  restraint  of  duplication  (competition)  of  this  work,  a  combina- 
tion of  love  and  harmony,  for  without  friends  and  without  consideration  for  our  neighbor  there  is  neither 
peace  nor  accomplishment. 

The  book,  therefore,  is  the  result  of  a  faithful  compliance  with  the  motto  of  the  Boers  of  South  Africa : 
"Eendracht  maakt  macht,"  which  translated  does  not  mean,  as  commonly  stated,  "In  union  there  is 
strength,"  but  rather  that  "United,  harmonious,  loving  cooperation  to  the  same  lawful  end  tends  toward 
power  that  brings  just  results. ' ' 

J.  B.  Geijsbeek  Molenaar. 

Denver,  August,  1914. 


PARTIAL  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

1494  to  1636. 


Sixteen  of  the  most  influential  books  out  of  a  passible  total  of  50  works. 
I.     ITALIAN. 

Snmma  de  Arithmetica,  Geometria, 
Proportioni  et  Proportionalita. 

Part  1,  Section  9,  Treatise  11, 
Particularis  de  Computis  et  Scripturis. 

Frater  Lucas  de  Burgo  Sancti  Sepulchri,  Ordinis  Miuoruni 
et  saere  theologie  magister,  in  arte  arithmetice  et  geometrie. 

Geijsbeek-Lawrence  Library,  Denver. 
Harvard  University  Library,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

La  Seuola  perfetta  dei  mercanti. 

Fra.  Paciolo  di  Borgo  Santo  Sepolcro. 

Summa  de  Arithmetica 


Venice  1494 


Toscana  1504 


Venice  1523 


(see  full  title  above,  this  being  practically    a    duplicate    edition    of 
1494,  but  contains  less  contractions  and  abbreviations.) 

Edinburgh,    Chartered  Accountants'  Library. 
Library,  University  of  California. 

Quaderno  doppio  col  suo  giornale  secoudo  11  costume  di  Venetia. 

Domenico  Manzoni.  Venice  1534 

Also  1554-1564-1565-1573-1574 

Edinburgh,    Chartered  Accountants'  Library  (1554  edition). 


Indrizzo  de  gli  economi. 

Don  Angelo  Pietra  de  Genoa. 

Geijsbeek-Lawrence  Library,  Denver. 

La  Scrittura  Mercantile  fatta  e  riordinata. 

(Reprinted  in  1700  under  the  title  of  "L'Economo  overo  La  Scrit- 
tura tutelare,  Scrittura  Mercantile.") 

Matteo  Mainardi. 

Geijsbeek-Lawrence  Library,  Denver. 

II.     GERMAN. 

Eiu  Teutsch  vertendig  Buchhalten  fiir  Herren  oder  Gesellsehafter  inhalt 
Wellischem  process. 

Johann  Gotlieb. 

Royal  Library,  Munich,  Germany. 

Zwifach  Buchhalten. 

Wolffgang  Schweicker. 

Kheil  Library,  Prag. 

Edinburgh,    Chartered  Accountants'  Library. 

Buchhalten  nach  arth  und  weise  der  Italianer. 
Passchier  Goessens  from  Brus.sels. 

State  Library,  Stuttgart,  Germany. 
5 


Mantua  1586 


Bologna  1632 


Nuremberg  1531 


Nuremberg  1549 


Hamburg  1594 


III.     DUTCH. 


Nieuvve   lustructie   Ende   Bewijs  der    Looffelijeker  Cousten  des  Reken- 
boeckse  ende  Rekeuinghe  te  houdeue  nae  die  Italiaeusche  maniere. 
Jan  Ympyn  Christoffels. 

Antwerp   (Dutch)   1543 
Antwerp   (French)   1543 
Antwerp   (English)   1543 
City  Library  at   Antwerp  (Dutch). 
Library  of  the  Nieolai  Gymnasium  at  Reval,  Rus- 
sia (English). 
Fideicommiss-Bibliothek  at  Maihingen-Wallerstein, 
Germany    ( French ) . 

Verrechning  van  Domeine  (including  chapters  on)  Coopmans  Bouck- 
houding  op  re  Italiaeusche  wyse  and  Vorstelicke  Bouckhouding  op  de 
Italiaeusche  wyse. 

Simon  Stevin. 

Amsterdam  1604 
Geijsbeek-Lawrence  Library,  Denver. 


Hypomnemata  Mathematiea. 
Simon  Stevin. 


Leijden  1608 


IV.     ENGLISH. 


A  briefe  instruction  and  maner  to  keepe  bookes  of  accompts  after  the 
order  of  Debitor  and  Creditor,  and  as  well  for  proper  accompts  parti- 
ble, etc.  newely  augmented  and  set  forth  by  John  Mellis,  Scholemaister. 
(purporting  to  be  a  reprint  of  a  book  bv  Hvigh  Oldcastle,  London, 
1543.) 

John  Mellis. 

Library  of  Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants  in 
England    and    Wales  (London). 


London  1588 


The  Merchants'  Mirrour  or  Directions  for  the  Perfect  Ordering  and 
Keeping  of  his  Accounts.  Framed  by  Way  of  Debitor  and  Creditor 
after  the  (so-termed)  Italian  Manner. 

Richard  Dafforne.  London  1636 

Also  1651-1660-1684 
Geijsbeek-Lawrence  Library,  Denver. 
Harvard  University  Library,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
Library  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C. 


HISTORICAL  REFERENCES 


Sehatzkammer  Italienischen  Buchhaltens. 

Christophorus  Achatius  Hageru. 

State  Library,  Stuttgart,  Germany. 


Hamburg  1654 


Beitrage  zur  Geschiehte  der  Erfiudungen. 
Johann  Beckmann. 


Library  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  0. 
State  Library,  Stuttgart,  Germany. 


Leipzig  1786 


Origin  and  Progress  of  Bookkeeping. 
B.  F.  Foster. 

Library    of    Institute   of   Chartered   Accountants 
in  England  and  Wales  (Loudon). 


London  1852 


Die  Berechtigung  der  einfachen  Buchhaltung  gegeniiber  der  doppelten. 
Ernst  Ludwig  Jager. 

Library,  University  of  California. 


Stuttgart  1868 


Beitrage  zur  Geschiehte  der  Doppelbuchhaltuiig. 
Ernst  Ludwig  Jiiger. 


Library,    Univei-sity  of  Cliicago. 
Library,  University  of  CaHforuia. 


Stuttgart  1874 


Lucas  Paccioli  und  Simon  Stevin. 

Ernst  Ludwig  Jager. 

Library,    Univei-sity  of  Chicago. 


Stuttgart  1876 


Luca  Pacciolo,  considerato  come  ragionere,  lezione  tenuto  alia  r.  scuolo  di  commerzio. 
Guido  Brandaglia  de  Arezzo. 

Eleneo  Cronologico  della  opera  di  computisteria  e  ragioneira  venute  alia  enee  in  Italia. 

Library  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Venice  1882 
Kome  1886 


Ueber  einige  iiltere  Bearbeitugen  der  Buchhaltung — Tractates  Von  Luca  Pacioli. 
Carl  Peter  Kheil. 

Geijsbeek-Lawrence  Library,  Denver. 


Prag  1896 


The  History  of  Accounting  and  Accountants. 
Richard  Brown,  Editor. 


Edinburgh  1905 


HISTORICAL 

Printing  from  blocks  of  wood  in  which  the  letters  were  carved,  was  known  long  before  the  Chris- 
tian era,  but  this  was  cumbersome  and  slow  and  hence  but  few  books  were  published  in  that  manner. 
Printing  from  loose  metal  type  which  could  be  set  up  in  the  way  known  to  us  to-day  did  not  begin  to 
be  a  success  until  after  A.  D.  1462,  when  the  German  city  of  Maintz  or  Mentz  (where  the  first  well- 
known  printer,  Gutenberg,  and  his  students  lived)  was  sacked  by  Adolph  of  Nassau,  and  those  who 
were  printers  were  scattered  far  and  wide  through  other  cities. 

Even  during  the  first  part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  one-fourth  of  all  the  books  printed  came  from 
one  city  only,  i.  e.,  Venice  in  Italy.  Therefore  a  book  produced  from  loose  type  in  1494  in  Venice,  must 
have  been  among  the  very  first  printed,  and  its  subject  must  have  been  at  that  time  of  such  prime 
importance  as  to  make  it  worthy  of  being  among  the  first  to  be  published.  The  oldest  treatise  which 
lias  come  dowTi  to  us  either  printed  or  written  on  the  subject  of  bookkeeping,  is  included  as  a  part  of  a 
rather  large  printed  volume  on  arithmetic  and  geometry.  This  volume  was  published  in  November, 
1494,  in  Venice,  Italy.  It  has  been  used  considerably  by  later  writers  on  the  subject  of  arithmetic  and 
geometry,  and  is  mentioned  in  numerous  works  of  bibliographers,  botli  ancient  and  modern.  The  title 
is:  Summa  de  Arithmetica  Geometria  Proportioni  e  Proportionalita. "  Bookkeeping  is  treated  in  Part 
One,  Section  9,  Treatise  11,  under  the  chapter  title  of  "Particularis  Computis  et  Scripturis,"  which 
translated  would  mean:     "Particulars  of  Reckonings  and  Their  Recording." 

The  exact  name  of  the  author  cannot  be  established  definitely  from  this  work,  as  his  full  name  does 
not  appear  on  the  title  page  nor  anywhere  else.  The  author  calls  himself  in  this  book  Frater  Lucas 
de  Burgo  Sancti  Sepulehri,  which  translated  into  English  may  be  called  Brother  Lucas  of  the  City  of 
the  Holy  Sepulchre.  The  City  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  or  Sancti  Sepulehri,  is  a  city  in  the  northern  part 
of  Italy  near  Venice.  On  page  67-2,  line  5,  of  Frater  Lucas'  book  "Summa  de  Arithmetica,"  he  states 
that  about  A.  D.  1470  he  dedicated  a  certain  book  to  his  students  named  Bartolo,  Francesco,  and  Paulo, 
the  three  sons  of  a  prominent  merchant  of  Venice  named  (Antonio  de)  Rompiasi.  From  other  writ- 
ings and  other  evidence,  bibliographers  have  come  to  the  conclusion  through  their  researches  that  the 
real  name  of  this  "Frater  Lucas"  was  Lucas  Pacioli. 

The  copyright  of  the  book  published  in  1494  expired  in  1504,  and  about  that  time  a  reprint  of 
the  chapter  on  bookkeeping  appeared  in  Toscana,  under  the  title  of  "La  Scuola  perfetta  dei  Mercanti." 
A  copy  of  this  reprint  was  not  in  the  possession  of  the  writer,  but  it  would  appear  that  there  the  name 
of  the  author  was  given  as  Fra.  Paciolo  di  Borgo  Santo  Sepolcro.  In  other  writings  he  is  known  as 
Patiolus,  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  Latin  for  Pacioli. 

In  1509,  shortly  before  he  died,  he  wrote  a  book  called  "Divina  Proportione,"  in  which  he  gives  a 
foreword  and  reproduces  several  letters  he  has  written.  In  these  he  signs  himself  as  Lucas  Patiolus. 
This  book  was  written  in  Latin.  On  page  33-b  of  this  book,  in  section  6,  treatise  No.  1,  chapter  No.  1. 
the  author  refers  to  his  book  published  in  1494  in  the  following  words:  "in  opera  nostra  grande  dicta 
summa  de  arithmetica  etc.  impressa  in  Venetia  nel  1494  et  al  Magnanimo  Diica  d'Urbi)w  dicata."  We 
underscored  the  word  "nostra,"  which  means  "our." 

Lucas  Pacioli,  as  we  will  call  him  hereafter,  believing  that  to  be  his  proper  name,  was  born  about 
1445  in  the  little  city  of  Sancti  Sepulehri,  in  the  Province  of  Arezzo,  of  Tuscany,  west  south-west  of 
the  City  of  Urbino.  He  was  a  great  lecturer,  mathematician,  writer,  scholar,  teacher,  and  traveler,  a 
well-known  and  famous  man,  who  was  the  first  to  translate  into  Latin  the  works  of  Euclid.  Succes- 
sively he  was  professor  of  mathematics  at  Perugia,  Rome,  Naples,  Pesa  and  Venice,  and  was  chosen  for 
the  first  occupant  of  a  professor's  chair  founded  by  Louis  Sforza.  He  was  in  Milan  with  Leonardo  da 
Vinci  at  the  Court  of  Louis  the  Moor  until  the  invasion  of  the  French.  It  is  not  improbable  that 
Leonardo  da  Vinci  helped  Pacioli  in  the  writing  of  this  work  as  there  are  indications  of  two  distinct 
styles  of  writing.  He  belonged  to  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor  of  St.  Francis.  It  is  apparent  that  he 
took  the  cloth  late  in  life,  for  protection  and  standing  needed  in  his  many  traveling  tours,  during  the 
unrest  then  existing  in  Italy.  He  wrote  his  treatise  on  bookkeeping  when  he  was  about  50  years  old, 
and  died  near  the  end  of  the  year  1509,  at  the  age  of  65. 

It  is  but  natural  that  bookkeeping  should  be  always  in  its  greatest  perfection  in  those  countries 
where  commerce  has  reached  its  highest  stage.  It  is  well  known  that  during  the  twelfth,  thirteenth, 
fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  Venice  was  a  powerful  republic,  from  which  all  European  commerce 
radiated,  until  in  1498  the  East  Indian  ocean  route  was  discovered,  from  which  time  on  the  commercial 
power  of  Venice  waned.  It  is  safe  to  assume  that  the  book  here  reproduced  faithfully  depicts  the  con- 
ditions existing  at  the  time  of  its  writing  and  the  prevailing  system  of  recording  the  transactions  of 
commerce.  All  the  world's  commerce,  practically  speaking,  was  concentrated  in  this  small  territory, 
therefore  its  system  of  bookkeeping  must  have  been  the  most  perfect  known  in  the  world  at  that  time. 
The  existence  of  a  well  advanced  system  of  bookkeeping  in  the  centers  of  commerce  must  have  caused 
considerable  confusion  and  correspondence  with  the  places  where  such  a  system  did  not  exist,  in  order 
to  equalize  and  settle  accounts  between  the  merchants  residing  in  these  various  places. 

It  is  therefore  probable  that  a  great  need  existed  for  taking  advantage  of  the  facilities  which  the 
new  inventions  in  printing  permitted,  to  present  to  the  commercial  world  outside  of  these  centers  a 
systematic  treatise  of  the  mo.st  important  part  of  commerce,  namely,  the  recording  of  its  transactions 

8 


and  results.  Pacioli  does  not  claim  that  he  invented  double-entry  bookkeeping,  but  on  the  otlier  hand 
mentions  in  his  book  the  existence  of  ancient  customs  and  numerous  methods  named  after  the  places 
where  they  were  used.  Thus  he  calls  the  method  of  bookkeeping  he  describes,  tlu;  metliod  of  Venice, 
as  distinguished  from  those  in  use  in  other  cities,  the  names  of  which  appear  in  the  translation  we 
have  made  of  his  book. 

While  Paeioli  gives  in  his  book  on  arithmetic  and  geometry  copious  illustrations,  as  will  be  seen 
from  the  sample  page  of  that  portion  of  the  book  herein  reproduced,  he  did  not  give  examples  and  illus- 
trations of  the  day  book,  the  journal  and  ledger,  which  he  describes.  His  book  therefore  has  never 
become  as  popular  as  those  of  later  writers  who  give  these  examples.  Pacioli,  however,  was  very  lengthy 
and  careful  in  his  minute  and  detailed  description  of  tlie  various  methods  employed.  The  reading  of 
his  book  will  be  a  revelation  to  those  who  liave  an  idea  that  the  present  high  state  of  development  of 
American  commerce  should  have  produced  methods  of  bookkeeping  unknown  at  such  an  early  period 
as  when  Pacioli  wrote.  They  will  find  that  there  then  existed  the  little  safeguards  which  are  not  de- 
scribed or  explained  in  present  books  of  instruction  on  bookkeeping,  but  which  we  accountants  are 
always  wont  to  preach  about  to  those  bookkeepers  who  come  under  our  observation,  and  whicli  we  do 
not  pass  by  simply  as  mere  suggestions  but  upon  which  we  insist  emphatically  with  a  "You  must  do 
this."  Pacioli  especially  describes  these  little  things  with  great  emphasis,  and  in  a  style  cunning  in  the 
extreme,  fully  punctuated  with  adages  to  bring  the  truth  home  so  no  one  could  forget  it.  He,  however, 
on  the  other  hand,  does  not  spend  any  time  in  explaining  the  modus  operandi  of  bookkeeping,  which  we 
learn  only  by  practice  (as  he  puts  it),  as  he  doubtless  appreciated  that  he  was  not  writing  his  treatise 
to  teach  bookkeeping  to  those  who  did  not  know  anything  about  it,  but  only  describing  the  advantage 
of  the  particular  method  in  use  in  Venice  in  order  to  convert  merchants  to  a  change  from  their  system 
to  the  best  system  then  known. 

Writers  who  have  followed  after  Pacioli  have  practically  all  given  full  illustrations  of  the  journal 
and  ledger,  but  have  rather  neglected  to  explain  the  "whys"  and  "wherefores"  of  the  little  and  valu- 
able details  upon  which  Pacioli  has  laid  so  much  stress,  taking  them  as  matters  of  fact  rather  than  as 
fundamental  principles.  As  we  all  know,  it  is  the  little  things  which  throw  the  safeguards  about  a 
proper  system  of  bookkeeping. 

It  is  not  the  writer's  aim  to  go  into  detail  as  to  the  history  of  bookkeeping.  Any  one  desiring  to 
study  this  subject  in  its  entirety,  is  referred  to  the  most  remarkable  records  and  researches  of  Jiiger, 
Kheil,  and  Row  Fogo  as  edited  by  BroASTi,  the  title  of  whose  books  are  fully  described  in  the  bibliog- 
raphy hereto  appended. 

Jager  and  Klieil  were  prominent  Grerman  scholars,  who  must  have  devoted  an  enormous  amount  of 
time  to  their  researches  as  to  the  origin  and  growth  of  bookkeeping.  Jager  was  somewhat  hasty  and 
inaccurate;  Kheil  is  somewhat  brief,  and  therefore  difficult  to  understand  by  those  who  have  not  read 
other  books  on  the  subject.     Both  of  these  books  are  written  in  German. 

Happily  we  Americans  have  the  aid  of  the  recent  book  written  in  Scotland  by  Brown  and  his  asso- 
ciates. The  treatise  they  present  is  exhaustive,  brief,  to  the  point,  and  exceedingly  accurate,  fully 
illustrated,  and  is  of  immense  value  to  every  student  of  the  subject  of  accountancy. 

The  writer  does  not  wish  to  duplicate  the  work  of  any  of  these  three,  but  by  the  present  volume  he 
desires  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  Pacioli 's  work  is  the  real  foundation  of  all  books  published  in  Ger- 
many, Holland,  France,  and  England  within  the  first  hundred  years  after  it  was  written.  We  will  do 
nothing  more  than  describe  the  effect  of  Paeioli 's  book  on  Manzoni  and  Pietra  which  appeared  in 
Italian,  Gotlieb,  Schweieker,  and  Goes,sens,  which  appeared  in  German,  Ympyn  and  Stevin  in  Dutch, 
Ympyn  in  French,  and  Ympyn,  Oldcastle,  Mellis,  and  Dafforne  in  English,  as  these  books  undoubtedly 
have  been  the  basis  for  subsequent  works  in  these  various  languages,  most  of  which  are  at  present 
available  for  comparison  and  study.  The  titles  of  other  contemporary  books  can  be  found  in  the  bibli- 
ography of  Mr.  Brown's  work,  for  he  gives  an  exhaustive  list  of  over  150  books  written  on  this  subject 
between  Pacioli 's  time  and  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Of  these,  50  were  written  prior  to 
the  publication  of  Dafforne 's  "The  Merchants'  Mirrour"  in  1636,  which  is  really  the  first  popular 
English  work.  Most  of  these  50  were  wintten  in  Italian,  Dutch,  or  German,  with  the  honors  about 
evenly  divided. 

As  we  have  said,  Lucas  Pacioli 's  book  appeared  in  Venice  in  1494,  with  a  ten-year  copyright.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  period,  or  in  1504,  the  same  printers  published  an  exact  duplicate  of  this  book, 
under  a  different  title.  Twenty-one  years  after  the  last  date,  or  in  1525,  there  appeared  in  Venice  a  very 
luisatisfactory  and  incomplete  work  on  bookkeeping  by  Giovanni  Antonio  Tagliente,  of  which  the  his- 
torians do  not  say  much. 

Forty  years  after  Pacioli 's  book  of  1494,  or  in  the  year  1534,  Domenico  Manzoni  published  in  Venice 
his  book  on  bookkeeping,  which  proved  very  popular,  as  during  a  period  of  40  years  it  went  through 
six  or  seven  editions,  which  may  be  termed  a  tremendous  success,  considering  the  conditions  of  those 
times. 

Manzoni  dedicated  his  book  to  Alouisius  Vallaressus,  a  rich  brother  of  a  friend  of  his  named  Petrus. 
It  seems  apparent  from  his  preface  that  he  commenced  the  book  years  before  it  was  published,  when  all 
three  (the  author,  his  friend,  and  the  latter 's  rich  brother)  were  going  to  school  in  Venice.  In  the 
title  he  mentions  "the  method  of  Venice,"  but  he  does  not  tell  anywhere  how  or  where  he  gained  his 
knowledge  and  does  not  give  Lucas  Pacioli  any  mention  or  credit. 

Manzoni  wrote  in  dialect,  or  what  is  called  "patois."  He  says  in  his  preface  that  he  is  not  a 
scholar  and  cannot  use  flowery  language  but  only  the  speech  of  his  inother,  which  he  learned  by  word 


of  mouth.    He  states  too  that  he  is  a  poor  man.     In  those  days  only  the  very  rich  and  the  clergy  could 
attend  schools.     The  poor  were  usually  artisans,  learning  their  trade  from  their  parents. 

Manzoni's  book  may  be  termed  a  revised  reprint  of  Paeioli.  Page  after  page  is  identical  and  word 
for  word,  and  the  remainder  is  merely  shorn  of  the  religious  expressions,  adages,  and  peculiar  repeti- 
tions which  Paeioli  so  freely  indulged  in.  Much  of  value  and  many  of  the  details  given  in  Paeioli 's  book 
are  here  omitted. 

This  book  is  divided  into  two  parts,  one  for  the  text  and  the  other  for  examples  of  journal  and 
ledger.  While  the  text  covers  but  12  of  the  36  chapters  of  Paeioli,  the  two  parts  combined  may  be  said 
to  reproduce  about  18  chapters  of  Paeioli.  At  the  beginning  of  the  writer's  translation  of  Paeioli 's 
l)ook  herein,  a  comparative  index  is  given,  which  illustrates  just  how  much  of  Paeioli 's  book  Manzoni 
copied  and  what  he  left  out.  The  only  new  idea  in  his  book  as  compared  with  that  of  Paeioli,  is  the 
consecutive  numbering  of  the  journal  entries.  In  some  respects,  however,  Manzoni  is  clearer  than 
Paeioli,  as  for  instance,  he  gives  definite  rules  for  the  making  of  journal  entries ;  tabulates  six  things  or 
matters  of  information  always  contained  in  every  journal  entry;  describes  the  form  of  journal  better 
by  mentioning  five  "standing"  or  "down"  lines;  explains  the  use  of  more  than  one  day  book ;  and  gives 
a  chapter  to  the  apparent  transposition  of  the  terms  "A"  (our  "To")  and  "Per"  (our  "By")  in  the 
ledger  from  its  customary  use  in  the  journal. 

jManzoni  gives  full  illustrations  of  the  journal  and  ledger,  with  its  entries,  which  Paeioli,  for  rea- 
sons stated,  did  not  deem  necessary.  The  addition  of  these  illustrations  of  course  has  made  the  book 
more  popular,  and  j\Ianzoni,  while  a  plagiarist  in  other  respects,  must  be  given  the  credit  of  having 
really  been  the  first  to  do  this.  The  writer  regrets  that  Manzoni's  book  is  not  accessible  to  him  for  on 
that  account  only  one  reproduction  can  here  be  given,  namely,  the  last  page  of  the  journal,  which  is 
taken  from  Brown's  history  of  accounting. 

In  1586,  nearly  100  years  after  Paeioli  wrote,  we  find  that  Don  Angelo  Pietra  published  a  work  on 
bookkeeping  fully  illustrated  with  numerous  examples.  The  book  was  printed  in  Mantua  by  Franz 
Osanna.  Pietra  was  a  monk,  born  in  Genoa,  stationed  at  the  Monastery  of  Monte  Cassino,  Neapel, 
Province  of  Caserta,  near  Sora.  He  was  the  auditor,  storekeeper,  and  cellarer  of  that  monastery.  He 
belonged  to  the  Order  of  St.  Benedict,  and  dedicated  his  book  to  Lastancius  Facius,  the  abbot  of  the 
Benedictine  monastery  at  Mantua.  Pietra 's  style  is  very  clear  and  concise,  and  his  book  contains  some 
60  short  but  pithy  chapters.  As  will  be  seen  from  the  comparative  index  heretofore  mentioned,  and 
given  farther  on  in  this  book,  Pietra  had  for  his  guide  the  books  of  both  Paeioli  and  Manzoni,  for  he 
covered  matters  which  Paeioli  did,  and  also  the  items  which  we  have  just  seen  Manzoni  mentioned  in 
his  book  but  which  we  do  not  find  in  Paeioli.  Especially  is  this  true  in  the  enumeration  of  the  items 
which  always  must  appear  in  a  journal  entry.  Pietra  uses  Manzoni's  six  items  in  the  same  order,  but 
adds  thereto  two  others.  He  also  gives  the  definite  rules  for  making  journal  entries,  mentions  the  trans- 
position of  "A"  and  "Per,"  the  five  standing  lines  in  the  journal,  and  enumerates  several  day  books. 
He  gives  further  some  30  additional  items  which  neither  Manzoni  nor  Paeioli  mentions.  Jager  does  not 
speak  very  highly  of  Pietra,  but  it  seems  to  the  writer  that  Pietra  was  an  ingenious  man,  fully  as  well 
educated  as  Paeioli,  and  a  good  deal  more  experienced  in  the  necessities  required  of  a  bookkeeper.  He 
recommends  several  innovations,  prominent  among  which  is  double  entry  bookkeeping  for  those  who  are 
not  in  business  for  profit  but  are  capitalists  or  associations  not  organized  for  the  making  of  profits, 
which  we  might  call  eleemosynary  corporations.  For  this  purpose  he  describes  three  different  ledgers, 
one  for  merchants,  one  for  bankers,  and  one  for  capitalists  and  those  similarly  situated.  He  calls  the 
ledger  for  the  capitalist  "economic  ledger." 

Unlike  Paeioli  and  Manzoni,  Pietra  does  not  begin  with  an  inventory,  but  with  a  proprietorship 
account.  He  is  exceedingly  careful  in  the  taking  of  his  inventory,  and  gives  in  his  book  a  large  folded 
insert  containing  a  tabular  inventory.  He  gives  a  tabulation  of  entries  for  the  ledger  which  do  not 
have  to  go  through  the  journal  (such  as  closing  entries).  He  advocates  the  vouchering  of  disburse- 
ments. He  minutely  explains  that  expense  accounts  can  show  two  balances,  and  that  they  can  show  a 
profit  as  well  as  a  balance  to  be  carried  forward  in  the  nature  of  an  inventory.  The  detail  of  some  30 
items  which  he  mentions  in  his  book  and  which  neither  Manzoni  nor  Paeioli  describes,  we  give  farther 
on,  by  the  side  of  the  reproduction  of  some  of  the  pages  of  Pietra 's  book. 

In  1632  there  appeared  in  Bologna  a  work  on  bookkeeping  written  by  Matteo  Mainardi.  This  book 
is  of  a  far  later  date  than  the  ones  heretofore  mentioned,  but  it  is  somewhat  remarkable  in  that  it  at- 
tempts to  describe,  besides  the  system  for  the  merchants,  one  for  the  keeping  of  executor's  and  trus- 
tee's accounts.  In  many  respects  this  book  compares  favorably  witli  that  of  Pietra,  and  Mainardi 
undoubtedly  had  all  the  three  books  just  described  at  his  command.  In  the  reproductions  herein,  we 
are  giving  only  the  title,  the  preface,  and  two  pages  of  the  journal,  the  last  for  the  purpose  of  indicat- 
ing the  method  then  in  use  of  showing  journal  entries  with  more  than  one  debit  or  more  than  one  credit, 
and  to  indicate  further  that  bookkeeping  made  far  greater  progress  in  Holland  than  in  Italy,  as  will  be 
apparent  from  the  discussion  of  Simon  Stevin's  book  published  in  1604. 

We  will  now  pass  to  the  German  authors.  We  have  mentioned  before  that  Venice  and  other  places 
in  the  northern  part  of  Italy  were  the  centers  of  commerce  from  which  the  distribution  of  merchandise 
was  made  to  the  inland.  The  nearest  commercial  city  of  the  inland  known  in  those  days  was  Nurem- 
berg, and  it  is  therefore  but  natural  that  we  should  find  there  the  first  work  on  bookkeeping  published  in 
the  German  language.  The  author  was  Johann  Gotlieb,  and  the  book  was  published  in  Nuremberg  in 
1531,  three  years  before  Manzoni,  the  second  Italian  writer,  published  his  book.  The  author  states 
frankly  that  he  has  translated  his  work  from  the  "Welsh,"  meaning  by  this  term  "Italian."  His 
book  is  considered  a  brief  and  very  poor  copy  of  Paeioli. 

10 


Gotlieb's  book,  however,  is  not  the  first  that  we  know  of  in  Germauy.  Heurifus  Uranuiiateus,  who 
called  himself  in  German  Heinrieh  Schreiber,  lived  for  a  long  while  in  Vienna  and  there  wrote  in  1518 
a  book  called  "Rechenbiichlin,  Kiinstlich,  behend  luid  gewiss  auf  alle,  Kauffmanschafft  gerichtet"  con- 
taining mostly  a  text  on  arithmetic,  but  devoting  some  pages  to  the  description  of  a  very  poor  system  of 
bookkeeping,  which  by  a  stretch  of  the  imagination  may  be  identified  as  possibly  covering  double-entry 
bookkeeping.     This  work  was  printed  in  Erfurt  in  1523,  and  in  Frankfurt  in  1572. 

After  Gotlieb's  book  we  find  one  published  in  1549  at  Nuremberg  entitled  "Zwifach  Buchhalten," 
by  Wolfgang  Sehweicker.  This  work  can  not  be  called  excellent,  nor  is  it  as  exhaustive  or  as  good  as 
that  of  either  Pacioli  or  Manzoni,  but  there  is  no  doubt  tliat  he  had  both  of  these  books  at  his  command, 
and  especially  followed  Manzoni.  The  three  German  books  thus  far  mentioned  were  undoubtedly  not 
good  enough  to  have  become  standards,  and  they  have  exerted  little  infiuenee  on  tiie  methods  of  book- 
keeping used  since  then  in  Germany. 

The  first  writer  who  was  able  to  leave  an  impression  which  is  lasting  to  this  day  was  Passchier 
Goessens,  a  Dutchman  from  Brussels.  He  wrote,  in  1594,  at  Hamburg  where  he  was  then  living,  a  book 
on  bookkeeping.  Goessens  states  very  plainly  in  his  preface  where  he  had  learned  tlie  art  and  the 
title  indicates  that  he  followed  the  Italian  system.  He  obtained  his  information  from  some  of  the 
earlier  Dutch  writings,  which  we  will  soon  mention.  German  bookkeepers  therefore,  have  benefited 
more  by  the  knowledge  which  the  Dutch  imparted  to  them  than  by  that  which  their  own  countrymen 
brought  direct  from  Italy. 

Next  in  importance  and  period  of  time,  we  come  to  the  influence  of  the  Dutch  writers  on  the  Ger- 
man, French,  and  English  subsequent  authors  on  the  subject  of  bookkeeping.  The  Dutch  for  centuries 
controlled  the  supremacy  of  the  seas,  as  they  were  great  ship-builders  and  navigators.  They  were  ex- 
cellent, careful  and  honest  tradesmen,  and  their  trade  was  sought  far  and  wide.  Yet  the  Italian  cities, 
through  their  ancient  relation  with  the  eastern  nations,  had  become  the  world's  leaders  in  commerce 
and  the  Dutch  people  were  therefore  forced  to  trade  with  these  Italian  republics  until  the  discovery  in 
1498  of  an  all-ocean  route  to  the  eastern  countries.  Thereafter  the  center  of  commerce  was  shifted 
from  Venice  and  its  surrounding  republics  to  Holland.  As  the  Dutch  were  such  travelers  on  water, 
they  naturally  sent  their  young  men  by  water  to  the  trade  centers,  for  education  and  training,  and  in 
this  way  the  knowledge  of  commerce  also  shifted  from  Venice  to  the  Dutch  countries. 

Jan  Ympyn  Christoffels  was  one  of  the  Dutch  merchants  who  visited  Venice  and  the  northern  part 
of  Italy  and  he  remained  there  for  twelve  years.  He  returned  evidently  wise  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
keeping  of  books  according  to  the  Italian  manner  and  wrote  a  book  on  that  subject.  He  did  not,  how- 
ever, live  to  see  his  book  published,  but  his  widow  Anna  Swinters  published  his  manuscripts  in  the 
Dutch  and  French  languages  during  tlie  year  1543.  Of  the  Dutch  edition  there  seems  to  be  but  one 
copy  in  existence,  which  is  in  the  City  Library  at  Antwerp.  The  French  work,  however,  can  be  pur- 
chased. The  discovery  by  Hugo  Balg  of  an  English  copy  of  this  book  in  a  Ru.ssian  library  was  reported 
by  the  German  scholar  Kheil,  although  it  was  so  mutilated  that  the  name  of  the  author  does  not  remain, 
and  the  exact  date  of  its  publication  is  not  known.  However,  from  the  similarity  of  the  contents  Kheil 
established  the  authorship  of  this  book.  The  widow  of  Jan  Ympyn  Christoffels  (better  known  as  Jan 
Ympyn),  says  very  distinctly  in  the  preface  of  the  Dutch  book  that  it  was  written  by  her  husband  and 
that  she  merely  published  it,  which  statement  would  indicate  that  the  English  book  was  written  prior  to 
1543.     The  illustrations  in  the  book  bear  date  of  1536  and  1537. 

Ympyn  claims  to  have  obtained  his  knowledge  in  Italy,  and  says  he  used  Italian  books  for  the  foun- 
dation of  his  work.  He  gives  credit,  however,  indirectly  to  a  person  who  has  never  been  known  as  an 
author  on  bookkeeping,  and  historians  rather  indicate  that  this  person  was  merely  an  excellent  book- 
keeper from  whom  he  gained  considerable  knowledge.  He  mentions,  however,  very  distinctly  the  book 
of  Lucas  Pacioli,  although  he  calls  him  Brother  Lucas  de  Bargo.  We  find  Lucas  Pacioli 's  name  thus 
quoted  in  a  large  number  of  books  subsequently  published,  from  which  we  may  infer  that  Ympyn 's 
work  was  well  known  and  used  by  a  good  many  writers,  because  from  no  other  source  could  they  have 
obtained  this  faulty  version  of  Pacioli 's  name. 

The  next  important  writer  in  the  Dutch  language  was  Simon  Stevin,  who  wrote  in  Latin  a  l)ook  on 
matiiematics,  which  was  published  in  Leijden  in  1608,  in  which  he  includes  several  chapters  on  book- 
keeping. These  were  a  reproduction  of  a  book  published  in  the  Dutch  language  on  "bookkeeping  for 
merchants  and  for  princely  governments,"  which  appeared  in  Amsterdam  in  1604,  and  was  rewritten 
in  The  Hague  in  1607  in  the  form  of  a  letter  addressed  to  Maximiliaen  de  Bethune,  Duke  of  Sculley. 
This  Duke  was  superintendent  of  finance  of  France,  and  had  numerous  other  imposing  titles.  He  had 
been  very  successful  in  rehabilitating  the  finances  of  France,  and  Stevin,  knowing  him  through  Prince 
Maurits  of  Orange,  was  very  anxious  to  acquaint  him  with  the  system  which  lie  had  installed  and  which 
had  proven  so  successful.  This  manuscript  of  1607  was  published  in  book  form  l)y  Stevin 's  son  Hend- 
rick  "in  the  second  year  of  the  Dutch  Peace"  of  Munster  (1648),  which  ended  the  eighty  year  war  with 
Spain;  this  would  make  the  date  of  publication  1650.  Hendrick  Stevin  dedicated  the  book  to  the  sister  of 
the  deceased  Prince  Maurits,  expressing  the  hope  that  she  may  continue  with  the  system  of  municipal 
bookkeeping  which  had  made  her  brother's  stewardship  of  the  affairs  of  government  so  successful. 
Stevin 's  book  becomes  very  important  to  Americans,  because  he  materially  influenced  the  views  of  his 
friend  Richard  Dafforne,  who  through  his  book  "The  Merchants'  Mirrour, "  published  in  1636,  became 
practically  the  English  guide  and  pioneer  writer  of  texts  on  bookkeeping. 

Simon  Stevin,  who  was  born  in  Bruges  near  Antwerp  in  1548,  and  died  in  The  Hague  in  1620,  was  a 
traveler,  author,  mathematician,  engineer,  and  inventor,  a  highly  educated  man  who  thought  bookkeep- 
ing important  enough  to  induce  Prince  Maurits  of  Orange,  the  then  governor  of  the  Dutch  countries,  to 

11 


install  double-entry  bookkeeping  throughout  his  territory,  thus  practically  putting  municipal  accounting 
on  the  double-entry  system,  the  very  thing  we  are  today  after  more  than  three  hundred  years  sighing 
for.  Stevin  wrote  part  of  the  text  of  his  book  in  tlie  form  of  a  dialogue,  consisting  of  questions  and 
answers,  which  he  says  actually  occurred  in  the  arguments  he  had  while  teaching  Prince  Maurits  the 
art  of  bookkeeping. 

Simon  Stevin  served  his  apprenticeship  in  a  mercantile  office  in  Antwerp,  where  he  learned  book- 
keeping. After  that  he  held  important  public  offices,  such  as  quarter-master-general,  surveyor  of  taxes 
of  Bruges  and,  under  Prince  Maurits  was  minister  of  finances  and  chief  inspector  of  public  works. 
There  he  displayed  such  inventive  ingenuity  in  engineering  that  he  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  founder 
of  modern  engineering.  His  discoveries  were  in  dynamics  and  hydrostatics,  and  among  his  many  other 
inventions  may  be  mentioned  an  important  improvement  to  the  canal  locks.  He  was  the  first  to  bring 
into  practical  use  decimal  fractions.  His  works  on  engineering  and  fortifications  have  remained  stan- 
dards until  the  last  decade  or  two. 

Stevin  was  a  prolific  writer  on  many  varied  subjects.  Among  other  things,  he  wrote  about  the  art 
of  war  on  land  as  well  as  on  sea,  about  the  construction  of  buildings,  residences,  and  fortifications,  the 
improvement  of  cities  and  agricultural  lands,  about  water  mills,  canals,  the  art  of  singing,  the  art  of 
oratory,  rhetoric,  mathematics,  geometry,  and  about  the  weighing  of  metals  and  alloys  through  the 
difference  in  weight  above  water  and  under  water. 

The  writer  would  consider  Stevin  to  be  one  of  the  first  men  of  whom  we  have  a  record  as  perform- 
ing duties  equal  to  those  of  a  modern  accountant.  We  have  seen  that  his  regular  work  was  that  of 
superintendent  of  finance  (secretary  of  the  treasury)  and  chief  engineer  of  fortifications  and  public 
buildings  of  Holland,  besides  being  tutor  and  adviser  to  Prince  Maurits  of  Orange.  In  addition  to  all 
of  this,  he  was  continually  called  in  to  settle  disputes  between  partners,  audited  numerous  mercantile 
books  and  drew  therefrom  financial  statements,  made  up  partnership  books  to  obtain  their  settlements, 
installed  systems  in  all  departments  of  government,  in  mercantile  houses,  royal  households,  municipal- 
ities, for  construction  of  specific  fortifications  and  public  buildings,  traveled  to  England,  Prance,  Ger- 
many, Italy,  Denmark  and  Belgium,  in  order  to  appear  before  courts  to  give  testimony  in  the  settlement 
of  financial  affairs,  and  performed  numerous  other  duties  of  an  accountant,  which  we  may  infer  from 
his  remarks  throughout  his  book. 

Jager,  Kheil,  and  Row  Fogo  through  Brown  ridicule  to  a  considerable  extent  the  old  writers  on 
bookkeeping,  instead  of  describing  the  worthy  things  about  them  and  marveling  at  their  accuracy  and 
ingenuity.  Especially  do  they  harangue  about  Stevin 's  Latin,  but  overlook  entirely  the  many  worthy 
suggestions  from  Stevin 's  inventive  genius. 

In  Brown's  book  on  the  history  of  accounting  Stevin 's  treatise  on  mercantile  bookkeeping  is  highly 
spoken  of  but  Stevin  is  ridiculed  for  his  endeavor  to  put  municipal  accounting  on  the  double-entry  sys- 
tem. We  feel  this  to  be  an  injustice  to  Stevin,  for  the  reason  that  while  his  descriptions  on  miinicipal 
accounting  may  at  first  blush  appear  to  be  faulty,  we  learn  from  the  descriptions  and  illustrations  he 
gives  of  mercantile  bookkeeping  that  he  was  exceedingly  brief  but  accurate,  and  that  therefore  in  the 
text  we  should  take  much  for  granted. 

Stevin  did  not  fully  illustrate  municipal  accounting,  for  three  reasons :  first  of  all  the  officials  who 
were  to  use  the  system  he  installed  received  regular  orders  with  forms  attached  from  headquarters; 
therefore  his  book  was  not  a  full  exposition  of  all  these  orders  with  their  forms,  but  was  merely  a  re- 
view of  the  entire  system.  Secondly,  (as  he  states)  he  was  writing  an  argument  in  favor  of  his  system 
to  those  officials  who  were  forced  to  use  it  and  might  hesitate  to  support  it  loyally.  This  he  did  in  an 
authoritative  manner,  by  quoting  continually  the  friendly  and  close  association  he  had  with  the  Prince, 
which  of  course  he  could  not  make  use  of  in  his  official  orders.  Thus  he  put  power  and  dignity  behind 
his  orders.  Thirdly,  he  fully  illustrated  mercantile  accounting  and  insisted  on  the  employment  only  of 
clerks  who  were  well  versed  in  the  art  of  bookkeeping  according  to  the  Italian  method.  After  illus- 
trating mercantile  accounting  thoroughly,  he  then  simply  describes  the  difference  between  the  two  sys- 
tems, which  (he  reiterates)  is  his  only  aim.  He  gives  eight  pages  of  journal  and  forty  pages  of  ledger 
on  municipal  accounting,  although  they  contain  only  opening  and  not  closing  entries.  The  latter  he 
explains  fully  in  his  text  by  stating  deviations  from  the  system  used  by  merchants. 

Yet  apparently  Stevin 's  treatise  on  municipal  accounting  is  judged  only  by  the  absence  of  illustra- 
tions, but  no  credit  is  given  him  for  the  ingenious  devices  he  mentions  and  which  we  now  call 
internal  checks.  Brown  evidently  had  not  read  much  of  the  text,  nor  his  son's  subsequent  book  and 
notes,  which  as  we  have  seen  heretofore  were  published  in  1650,  at  which  time  his  son  states  that  while 
some  defects  were  found  in  the  previous  treatise,  the  system  had  survived  until  that  day  and  had  been 
improved  upon,  he  describing  such  improvements  in  addition  to  reproducing  his  father's  works. 

Stevin  was  very  ingenious  in  prescribing  methods  for  what  we  now  are  wont  to  call  "internal 
checks."  For  instance,  in  order  to  check  the  pay  roll  of  the  soldiers  and  other  public  officials,  he  de- 
manded that  the  pay  roll  be  sent  direct  to  the  auditors  (and  he  calls  them  auditeurs,  the  French  for 
auditors),  and  then  insisted  that  the  cook  at  the  mess-house  where  all  the  soldiers  and  officials  were 
being  fed,  should  report  independently  to  the  auditors  the  number  of  meals  served. 

Another  internal  check  which  he  suggested  in  order  to  stop  the  making  of  errors  and  the  stealing 
in  the  collection  of  taxes  and  rents,  was  to  make  the  sub-treasurer's  report  to  the  general  treasurer  each 
month  of  not  only  the  cash  receipts  and  disbursements  but  the  persons  remaining  delinquent  in  their  pay- 
ments. After  the  reported  delinquents  remained  so  for  three  months,  he  suggested  the  sending  of  the 
sheriff  by  the  general  ti'easurer  (not  the  sub-treasurers)  to  sell  the  property  of  the  delinquent  tax-payer 

12 


or  to  collect  from  him  a  bond.  He  explains  that  thus  you  can  force  the  tax-payer  to  demand  a  receipt 
from  the  sub-treasurer  when  paying,  and  display  it  to  the  sheriff,  and  tiius  get  evidence  against  tlic  sub- 
treasurer  of  stealing. 

Towards  tlie  end  of  this  book  we  are  reproducing  Stevin's  journal  and  ledger,  and  appended  there- 
to we  have  given  some  further  remarks  describing  the  superiorities  of  Stevin's  work,  which  will  prove 
interesting  reading.  Stevin  undoubtedly  followed  Ympyn,  who  in  turn  as  we  have  seen,  obtained  his 
knowledge  from  Paeioli. 

Up  to  this  date  then,  we  have,  besides  general  mercantile  books,  records  of  specific  systems  of  book- 
keeping for  merchants,  branch  stores,  traveling  salesmen,  partnerships,  household  accounts,  bankers, 
capitalists,  monasteries,  executors,  and  municipalities,  as  we  will  see  from  the  specialties  enumerated 
by  these  writers. 

We  next  will  make  a  survey  of  how  the  knowledge  of  bookkeeping  came  to  England,  whence  it  prob- 
ably came  to  America. 

AVe  find  that  a  school  teacher  by  the  name  of  John  Mellis  wrote  in  London  in  1588  a  book  on  book- 
keeping, which  in  his  preface  he  states  to  be  a  reprint  of  a  book  by  Hugh  Oldcastle,  whicii  Mellis  says 
appeared  in  London  in  1543  under  the  title  of  "A  profitable  treatyce  called  the  Instrument  or  Boke  to 
learne  to  knowe  the  good  order  of  the  kepying  of  the  famouse  reconynge  called  in  Latyn  Dare  and 
Habere  and  in  Englyshe  Debitor  and  Creditor."  No  copy  exists  as  far  as  is  known  of  this  book  of 
Oldcastle,  and  it  is  not  therefore  an  absolute  certainty  that  it  ever  existed.  It  might  have  been  a  man- 
uscript only,  and  again,  the  date  may  not  be  reliable.  It  may  also  be  that  the  book  was  written  by  some 
one  else,  and  given  to  John  Mellis  by  Hugh  Oldcastle.  It  may  therefore  have  been  Jan  Ympyn 's  book  in 
English,  especially  as  the  dates  are  so  close  together.  However  this  may  be,  Mellis 's  book  is  nothing 
more  than  a  translation  of  Paeioli 's  book,  and  Mellis  states  that  he  had  traveled  and  studied  in  the 
Dutch  country.  Brown  in  his  historj^  of  accounting  openly  says  that  every  English  writer  on  accounting 
in  the  early  days  gained  his  knowledge  from  the  Dutch,  because  Holland  was  the  training  school  for 
English  merchants,  and  he  gives  numerous  instances  to  support  his  statement. 

Any  one  doubting  that  Mellis 's  book  is  a  translation  of  Paeioli,  should  compare  Mellis 's  descrip- 
tion of  the  checking  of  the  ledger,  as  quoted  by  Brown,  with  our  translation  of  this  same  subject  in 
Paeioli 's  book.  That  Mellis  is  undoubtedly  a  copy  of  Paeioli,  appears  from  an  error  he  made  in  refer- 
ring in  one  of  his  chapters  to  a  chapter  previously  mentioned,  naming  it  chapter  15,  th(!  same  as  Paeioli 
stated  in  his  chapter  16,  but  as  Mellis  left  out  chapter  5  of  Paeioli,  containing  a  short  introduction,  and 
also  chapter  7  about  the  certification  of  books  by  notaries,  Mellis 's  chapter  14  is  the  same  as  Paeioli 's 
16,  and  Mellis's  chapter  13  is  the  same  as  Paeioli 's  15;  yet  Mellis  makes  reference  to  chapter  15  the  same 
as  Paeioli,  instead  of  using  chapter  13.  The  discovery  of  this  error  is  mentioned  in  Brown's  history  of 
accounting. 

Next  in  importance,  and  the  last  book  we  will  mention  in  our  survey,  is  "The  Merchants'  Mirrour," 
by  Richard  Dafforne.  Dafforne  says  that  in  Germany,  Italy  and  Holland,  there  had  existed  a  great 
many  able  writers  on  bookkeeping,  and  he  gives  a  large  list  of  authors.  He  attributes  the  existence  of 
these  books  to  the  demand,  stating  that  there  would  not  be  a  supply  unless  there  was  a  demand.  He 
very  much  deplores  the  fact  that  such  a  demand  did  not  exist  in  England,  nevertheless  he  contributes 
his  book,  which  is  undoubtedly  a  very  able  treatise.  He  even  speaks  of  his  acquaintance  with  Simon 
Stevin,  and  he  writes  his  book  on  the  same  order  as  Stevin,  namely,  in  dialogue  style,  or  questions  and 
answers.  Dafforne 's  book  was  published  in  London  for  the  first  time  in  1636,  and  appeared  afterwards 
in  1651,  1660,  and  1684.  Later  English  writers  have  followed  Dafforne  and  Mellis.  Therefore,  direct- 
ly and  indirectly,  Paeioli  through  the  Dutch,  has  laid  the  foundation  of  our  present  accounting  litera- 
ture and  our  present  knowledge  of  bookkeeping. 

We  are  reproducing  most  of  the  text  of  Dafforne 's  book  and  a  few  pages  from  the  daybook,  journal 
and  ledger.  Anyone  doubting  that  Dafforne  followed  Simon  Stevin  and  other  Dutch  writers  on  bookkeep- 
ing will  be  convinced  by  reading  his  text.  Numei'ous  quotations  are  made  from  these  and  other  Dutch 
authors  throughout  the  text  and  even  in  the  title  page.  In  one  place  an  abstract  from  the  bible  is  ren- 
dered in  the  Dutch  language.  Further  Dafforne  states  that  he  received  his  knowledge  and  ideas  in  Hol- 
land and  that  part  of  the  illustrations  and  text  was  written  in  Holland.  The  mentioning  of  so  many  Dutch 
customs  and  Dutch  names  in  the  ledger  accounts  shows  that  he  himself  succumbed  to  what  he  feared: 
"They  being  then  at  Rome,  will  do  as  there  is  done." 

"While  we  have  described  thus  far  the  oldest  text  books  in  existence  on  the  subject  of  bookkeeping, 
the  records  of  books  of  account  predate  these  considerably,  and  for  further  information  on  this  subject 
we  can  do  no  better  than  refer  you  to  Brown's  history  of  accounting,  where  not  only  detail  is  given  but 
where  also  convincing  illustrations  are  repi'oduced.  However,  the  purpose  of  presenting  to  the  reader 
a  correct  idea  of  what  was  done  in  this  line,  we  mii^lit  state  that  the  books  of  the  steward  of  the  city  of 
Genoa  in  1340  were  kept  on  the  double-entry  principle.  The  oldest  mercantile  ledger  at  Venice  is  dated 
1460,  and  is  that  of  the  firm  of  Donado  Soranzo  &  Brothers.  This  ledger  has  a  profit  &  loss  and  a  capital 
account.  Specimens  of  this  ledger  are  reproduced  in  Brown's  history  of  accounting  on  pages  99  to  106, 
and  will  greatly  help  the  reader  to  understand  Paeioli 's  instructions,  in  respect  to  the  year,  the  Roman 
figures  in  the  money  column,  and  the  Arabic  figures  for  the  smallest  coin  or  Picioli,  etc. 


13 


DISCURSION  IN  THEORY 

We  find  in  the  translations  of  the  old  treatises  on  bookkeeping  the  terms  debit,  credit,  inventory, 
journal,  cash,  capital,  balance,  per  (modern  bjO,  a  (modern  to),  assets,  liabilities,  etc.,  and  a  definition 
of  each  of  these  with  their  use  in  the  olden  times  should  prove  of  interest. 

Our  word  debit  is  put  in  Italian  as  ''debito'',  which  comes  from  the  old  Latin  debita  and  debeo, 
which  in  business  and  from  the  standpoint  of  the  proprietor  means  "owe"  or  "he  owes  to  the  pro- 
prietor," that  which  was  loaned  or  given  him  by  the  proprietor.  (The  old  authors  do  not  use  it  in  ledger 
accounts.) 

Our  word  credit  is  put  in  Italian  as  ''credito,"  coming  from  the  old  Latin  word  ''credo,"  which 
means  "trust  or  believe,"  as  in  business  our  creditors  were  "believers"  in  the  integritj'  of  the  pro- 
prietor, and  therefore  loaned  or  gave  him  something.  Therefore,  from  the  proprietor's  point  of  view, 
tlie  word  should  be  translated  as  the  creditor  "is  owed  by  the  proprietor,"  that  which  was  loaned  or 
given  to  the  proprietor.     (The  old  authors  do  not  use  it  in  ledger  accounts.) 

Inventory  in  Italian,  ''inventario,"  comes  from  the  Latin  "invenio,"  which  means  t«  find  out  or 
discover. 

Journal  in  Italian  "giornal"  comes  from  the  Latin  "diurnalis"  which  means  daily  happenings  or 
diurnal. 

Ledger  comes  from  the  Dutch  ''Legger"  meaning  "to  lie  down"  and  was  originated  probably  from 
the  necessity  that  the  ledger,  which  was  called  the  big  book,  became  so  large  and  cumbersome  that  it 
remained,  or  was  lying,  always  in  one  place. 

Cash  in  Italian,  "cassa,"  comes  from  ease  or  box,  which  is  the  same  as  the  Italian  borscia  from  the 
Latin  bursa  or  purse. 

Capital,  which  is  mentioned  in  Italian  as  "Cavidalc,"  comes  from  the  old  Latin  "capitalis,"  which 
means  "chief"  or  "head,"  and  also  from  the  Latin  "capitali,"  which  means  property.  Thus  capital 
would  mean  "the  property  of  the  chief,"  i.  e.,  proprietorship. 

As  to  the  word  "balance,"  the  following  will  indicate  its  meaning.  A  clear  distinction  is  made  by 
the  old  writers  between  (1)  the  difference  in  an  account  between  the  debit  amounts  and  the  credit 
amounts,  (2)  the  reason  for  entering  this  difference  in  the  account,  and  (3)  the  status  of  the  account 
after  equalizing  both  sides  by  the  making  of  an  entrj'  and  closing  the  account.  We  term  all  three 
balances  and  balancing,  while  two  are  distinctly  opposite.  In  Italian  they  call  the  difference  or  the 
remainder,  "resto,"  and  say  they  have  entered  this  remainder  in  order  to  close  (saldo),  and  then  they 
state  that  the  account  is  in  balance  (bilancw). 

As  to  the  terms  "By"  and  "To,"  Manzoni  says,  as  does  Pacioli,  that  in  the  journal  entries  the  word 
"Per"  denotes  the  debtor  and  always  precedes  it.  and  that  "A"  denotes  the  creditor. 

Manzoni  then  goes  on  to  point  out  that  the  prevailing  system  (which  Pacioli  describes)  in  his  time 
was  to  use  "Per"  only  (and  not  "A")  as  far  as  it  relates  to  the  ledger.  He  calls  it  a  misuse  which 
experts  do  not  condone,  and  in  his  examples  of  ledger  entries  he  uses  in  the  debit  of  the  debtor's  ac- 
count "A"  because  the  name  following  it  must  of  necessity  be  the  name  of  the  creditor  and,  as  "A" 
denotes  the  creditor,  so  it  must  here  precede  the  name  of  the  creditor,  as  well  as  in  the  journal,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  it  is  written  on  the  debit  side  of  the  ledger.  Likewise  he  puts  on  the  credit  side  "Per" 
in  front  of  the  name  of  the  debtor.     Stevin,  as  explained,  follows  Pacioli. 

Until  the  very  recent  present  day  we  used  in  the  ledger  "To"  on  the  debit  side  as  a  prefix  to  the 
name  of  the  creditor  and  "By"  on  the  credit  side  as  a  prefix  to  the  name  of  the  debtor. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  we  can  translate  the  Italian  "Per"  into  our  "By"  and  the  Italian 
"A"  into  our  "To,"  as  these  two  expressions  or  words  can  be  translated  in  many  different  ways  ac- 
cording to  the  noun  or  verb  following  or  preceding  it,  together  with  the  consideration  of  the  tense  and 
ease  used. 

If,  however,  we  take  a  literal  translation  of  the  Italian  ledger  heading  used  for  our  debit,  or  "dee 
dare,"  we  come  to  "shall  give."  Putting  this  into  a  sentence  read  from  a  ledger  we  have  as  at  the 
present  time,  "John  Doe  debit  to  Richard  Roe"  and  in  the  old  Italian,  "John  Doe  dee  dare  (shall  give) 
A  (To)  Richard  Roe,"  and  as  to  the  credit,  we  have  in  our  present  day  "Richard  Roe  credit  by  John 
Doe,"  and  in  the  old  Italian,  "Richard  Doe  dee  havere  (shall  have  or  receive)  Per  (by  the  hand  of) 
John  Doe." 

Our  ver.sion,  therefore,  is  that  today  we  follow  Manzoni  rather  than  Pacioli  and  Stevin  in  tliis 
respect. 

As  to  the  journal,  the  old  necessity  for  being  particular  in  designating  and  separating  the  debtor 
from  the  creditor  by  Per  and  A  and  the  much  commented  upon  little  diagonal  lines  (//),  has  been 
obviated  through  the  use  of  two  columns  in  the  journal — one  for  the  debit  amount,  the  other  for  the 
credit  amount — and  by  the  use  of  two  lines  of  writing  and  by  careful  indentation.  Thus,  while  we  do 
not  use  the  old  expressions  (Per  and  A)  in  the  journal,  we  are  more  careful  and  systematic  in  separat- 
ing debits  from  credits  than  the  old  authors  were. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  learn  when  and  where  and  under  what  circumstances  and  conditions  the 
double  column  in  the  journal  originated.  Prom  the  fact  that  a  trial  balance,  with  total  debits  and  total 
credits  instead  of  differences  between  debits  and  credits,  is  called  a  French  trial  balance,  we  might  infer 

14 


that  that  system  origiuated  in  France  because  a  Freucli  trial  balance  is  based  upon  the  system  that  all 
entries  are  journalized  and  the  total  debits  and  the  total  credits  of  the  journal  are  added  to  the  total 
debits  and  credits  of  the  previous  trial  balance  in  order  to  arrive  at  the  totals  which  the  present  trial 
balance  should  show.  Such  a  trial  balance  makes  an  absolute  necessity  for  the  having  of  two  columns 
in  the  journal. 

Stevin  explains  debit  and  credit  as  follows : 

"Genomen  dat  ymant  met  naem  Pieter,  my  schuldich  vvesende,  doet  daer  op  betaling  van  100  L: 
Eniek  't  gelt  in  een  easse  leggende,  al  of  ict  heur  te  bevvaren  gave,  segh  dat  die  casse  my  't  selve  gelt 
schuldich  is,  vvaer  deur  iek  haer  al  oft  een  mensch  vvaer,  debiteur  make,  en  Pieter  crediteur,  om  dat  hy 
syn  schult  verniindert,  stellende  int  lornael  't  begin  der  partie  aldus,  'Casse  debet  per  Pieter'." 

The  above  translated  would  be  about  as  follows  -. 

"Suppose  that  some  one  by  the  name  of  Peter  owed  me  some  money,  on  account  of  which  he  paid  me 
£100,  and  I  put  the  money  in  a  cash  drawer  just  as  if  I  give  it  the  money  for  safe  keeping.  1  then  say 
that  that  easli  drawer  owes  me  that  money,  for  which  reason  (just  as  if  it  were  a  human  being)  I  made 
it  a  debtor  and  Peter  of  course  becomes  a  creditor  because  he  reduces  his  debit  to  mo.  This  1  put  in 
the  Journal  thus:     'Cash  Debit  Per  Peter'." 

From  the  above  translation  of  the  previous  Dutch  quotation  it  would  seem  that  the  journal  entry 
shown  is  rather  a  hasty  conclusion.  The  entry,  in  order  to  follow  his  explanations,  should  have  been 
a  double  entry  somewhat  as  follows :  Cash  Debit  to  ilyself — Proprietor  Credit — for  the  money  I  gave 
the  cash  drawer  for  safe  keeping.  To  be  followed  by :  Myself  Debit  to  Peter  Credit — he  gave  me  money 
which  I  may  have  to  return  to  him  if  he  does  not  owe  it  to  me. 

As  most  of  the  entries,  if  made  in  this  form  would  have  both  a  debit  and  a  credit  to  the  proprietor 
for  the  same  amount,  these  are  simply  omitted. 

If  we  eliminate  on  both  sides,  according  to  algebraic  formulae,  the  word  "myself,"  we  then  have 
abbreviated  the  two  entries  to  a  real  algebraic  term,  namely,  "Cash  Debit  to  Peter."  Thus  we  have 
condensed  two  entries  of  thought  to  one  entry  written  down,  very  much  the  same  as  in  algebra  a  =  b ; 
b  =  c;  hence  a  =:  c.  In  many  of  the  old  Dutch  books  Stevin 's  idea  of  a  twofold  double  entry  is  men- 
tioned, and  is  brought  down  to  the  present  day,  which  accounts  for  the  existence  of  a  clear  idea  on  this 
principle  in  Holland  and  in  modern  Dutch  books  on  bookkeeping  (see  N.  Brenkman,  1880,  Theory  of 
Double-Entry  Bookkeeping). 

It  must  be  admitted  that  if  we  today  would  abolish  the  use  of  the  words  debit  and  credit  in  the 
ledger  and  substitute  therefor  the  ancient  terms  of  "shall  give"  and  "shall  liave"  or  "shall  receive," 
the  personification  of  accounts  in  the  proper  way  would  not  be  difficult  and,  with  it,  bookkeeping  would 
become  more  intelligent  to  the  proprietor,  the  layman,  and  the  student. 

Elsewhere  we  have  seen  that  Stevin  insists  upon  testing  when  a  journal  entry  in  det)it  and  credit 
must  be  made  by  asking  the  question,  "When  does  proprietorship  begin"  or  "When  does  proprietorship 
end,"  from  which  it  is  apparent  that  proprietorship  must  enter  in  the  consideration  of  each  entry  and, 
if  it  is  not  there,  it  is  simply  eliminated  by  the  rules  of  algebra.  This,  of  course,  would  at  once  lead  to 
the  personification  of  the  capital  and  profit  or  loss  accounts  into  "the  proprietor"  as  differentiated 
from  "the  business,"  and  would  then  immediately  show  the  fallacj-  of  the  statement  that  capital  and 
surplus  are  liabilities,  as  well  as  of  the  absurd  theory  that  assets  must  equal  liabilities. 

The  following  translation  of  the  dialogue  between  Simon  Stevin  and  the  Prince  Maurits  of  Orange 
on  this  subject  fully  illustrates  that  Stevin  then  understood  his  subject  far  better  than  do  some  modern 
text  writers  and  theorists,  and  it  makes  certain  recent  so-called  "discoveries"  appear  mere  mental 
vagaries,  as  far  as  the  credit  for  discovery  is  conceriied.  It  merely  illustrates  that  they  are  today  as 
deep  thinkers  as  Stevin  was  300  years  ago. 
The  Prince.     I  must  ask  another  question.     The  entries  stand  in  my  ledger  as  debits  and  credits.     Which 

of  these  two  stand  to  my  advantage  and  which  to  my  disadvantage? 
Stevin.  Debits  in  the  ledger  are  your  advantage,  for  the  more  Peter  owes  you  the  more  your  cap- 

ital is,  and  likewise  much  pepper  in  the  warehouse,  which  stands  as  a  debit,  will  make  much 
money  in  the  cash  drawer.     However,  credits  are  the  reverse. 
The  Prince.     Are  there  no  exceptions  to  this? 
Stevin.  I  cannot  recall  any. 

The  Prince.     Yet  capital  as  a  debit  does  not  seem  to  me  as  an  advantage,  and  capital  as  a  credit  being 

a  disadvantage  to  me  appears  entirely  wrong. 
Stevin.  I  forgot  that.     You  are  right.     I  meant  to  say  that  capital  is  an  exception. 

The  Prince.     Further,  expense  is  a  debit  and  it,  together  with  the  debit  in  the  profit  and  loss,  are  both 

disadvantages. 

Stevin.  Because  these  two  are  a  part  of  the  capital  account  they  are  included  in  the  exception. 

The  Prince.  The  credits  in  the  cloves  account  in  the  ledger  are  in  excess  of  the  debits  by  £74-4-7. 
This  is  an  advantage  to  me  because  it  represents  a  profit,  yet  it  is  in  the  credit. 

Stevin.  The  reply  to  this  would  be  that  if  the  account  were  closed  (which  you  can  do  when  you 

please,  but  usually  at  the  end  of  the  year),  the  excess  in  the  credits  would  be  transferred  to 
the  profit  and  loss  account  and  your  question  would  not  arise. 

The  Prince.  Yet  it  remains  that  with  accounts  like  the  cloves  account,  where  they  show  a  profit  or  a 
loss,  it  is  not  so  frequently  true  that  at  all  times  debit  is  an  advantage  and  credit  a  dis- 
advantage. 

15 


Stevin.  That  appears  to  be  true  aud  iu  that  respect  it  is  somewhat  similar  to  your  exception,  but 

it  shows  all  the  more  positively  that  in  all  accounts  of  capital,  or  those  pertaining  to  cap- 
ital, debit  is  always  a  disadvantage  and  credit  an  advantage. 
The  Prince.     Why  has  capital  more  exceptions  than  all  the  others? 

Stevin.  Because  capital  debit  means  as  much  as  though  the  proprietor  said,  "I  am  debit  to  all  the 

other  accounts."  It  follows  that  the  more  a  proprietor  is  debtor  in  this  manner  the  more 
it  is  to  his  disadvantage,  and  the  more  he  is  creditor  the  more  it  is  to  his  advantage,  for 
which  reason  capital  must  be  the  reverse  of  other  accounts,  and  it  is  not  therefore  really 
an  exception. 
The  Prince.  If  capital  stands  for  the  name  of  the  proprietor,  why  is  the  proprietor's  name  not  used 
instead  of  the  word  capital  inasmuch  as  through  the  use  of  that  word  so  many  things  be- 
come so  difficult  to  understand? 
Stevin.  Merchants  often  form  partnerships  with  many  who  together  put  in  one  principal  sum  of 

money.  For  this  reason  we  need  one  designation  indicating  them  all  at  once  as  proprie- 
tors, and  for  this  the  word  capital  is  used  with  good  reasons. 
Furthermore,  at  that  time  the  words  assets  and  liabilities  were  not  known  in  bookkeeping.  Happy 
days  they  must  have  been.  These  terms  ought  not  to  be  known  or  used  now.  What  we  now  term  lia- 
bilities, and  some  of  which  some  of  us  are  almost  tempted  to  call  "near  liabilities"  very  much  the  same 
as  we  define  "near  silk,"  never  are  and  never  will  be  liabilities,  for  at  the  time  the  financial  statement 
is  prepared  these  amounts  are  not  supposed  to  be  due,  hence  the  proprietor  cannot  possibly  be  liable 
for  them  at  that  time.  At  most  he  is  "trusted"  for  them  by  his  creditors,  as  the  old  authors  expressed  it 
correctly.  Neither  are  assets  at  any  time,  in  a  going,  solvent  business,  real  assets.  The  words  assets 
comes  from  "assez"  which  means  "enough."  The  question  of  whether  the  proprietor  has  enough  to 
cover  his  liabilities  does  not  come  up  until  his  ability  to  meet  his  obligations  is  questioned  or  until  he  is 
called  upon  to  render  a  statement  to  the  court  wherein  he  is  brought  for  this  purpose  to  answer  the 
question  whether  he  has  enough  {assez — assets)  to  cover  that  for  which  he  is  liable  (liabilities)  or  past 
due  credits  or  trustings  by  the  creditors.  Those  who  doubt  this  should  study  from  the  reported  court 
cases  the  difference  between  mercantile  insolvency  and  legal  insolvency. 

In  analyzing  a  financial  statement  I  believe  these  assets  and  liabilities  may  be  interpreted  to  mean 
something  like  this:  The  proprietor,  in  order  to  be  permitted  to  continue  to  do  business  on  credit, 
makes  here  a  showing  to  those  interested  by  which  he  agrees  that  his  books  show  that  the  personifica- 
tions of  cash,  real  property,  personal  property,  merchandise,  as  well  as  the  persons  owing  him,  are 
obligated  to  him  and  "shall  give"  him  the  amounts  stated  on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  statement  or  the 
amounts  appearing  to  the  debit  of  these  accounts  in  the  ledger  and  to  the  credit  of  his  own  account, 
and  that  thereby  the  proprietor  will  be  able  to  meet  whatever  obligations  he  contracts  with  those  with 
whom  he  has  dealings.  He  further  states  in  this  report  that  persons  interested  should  take  notice  that 
the  books  show  that  the  following  persons  "shall  have"  or  "shall  receive"  from  him  the  items  when 
they  become  due  and  payable  and  standing  on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  statement,  or  the  amounts 
appearing  to  the  credit  of  these  accounts  in  the  ledger  and  to  the  debit  of  his  own  account.  That  these 
items  are  to  be  deducted  from  the  items  of  cash,  real  property,  personal  property,  etc.,  before  those  in- 
terested in  the  statement  can  judge  as  to  whether  they  shall  trust  {credito — credit)  him  further.  Thus 
it  becomes  at  once  apparent  that  capital,  together  with  surplus  and  losses  and  gains,  represent  the  owner- 
ship of  the  things  owned  less  those  owed,  leaving  a  net  ownership,  and  net  ownership  can  never  be  a 
liability  (i.  e.,  a  thing  to  be  liable  for).  If  surplus  ever  can  be  a  liability  then  a  minus-surplus  or  a 
deficit  must  of  necessity  become  an  asset,  which  is  an  absurdity. 

The  statement  of  affairs  described  by  Stevin  and  elsewhere  reproduced,  may  be  considered  to  be 
merely  a  statement  of  the  closing  entries  as  they  would  be  made  in  the  respective  individual  ledger  ac- 
counts in  order  to  make  both  the  debits  and  the  credits  even  and  equal.  For  whatever  each  debit  account 
shows  more  in  the  debit  than  in  the  credit,  as  Stevin  explained,  it  is  given  by  the  owner  to  that  account 
for  safe  keeping  as  if  it  were  a  person — hence  this  person  or  this  account  owes  the  proprietor;  there- 
fore, the  proprietor  trusts  these  personified  accounts  and  becomes  the  creditor.  With  the  credit  accounts 
it  is  the  reverse;  hence  Stevin 's  statement  of  affairs  is  the  capital  account  itemized  with  a  preponderance 
of  credits  to  represent  net  capital.  The  English  follow  this  method  of  rendering  a  financial  statement 
to  this  day.     Why  Americans  reverse  the  process  is  difficult  to  perceive. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  further  be  seen  that  thus  with  the  aid  of  ancient  terms  we  can  read  in- 
telligently and  explain  the  abbreviated  forms  used  in  bookkeeping  so  that  it  becomes  at  once  apparent 
why  accounts  like  the  cash  account,  which  to  the  uninitiated  looks  like  proprietorship,  can  be  shown 
on  the  debit  side  of  the  ledger  and  why  capital  account,  which  always  represents  ownership,  appears 
on  the  credit  side.  This  at  first  thought  may  seenr  contradictory,  but  the  reason  for  this  apparent  in- 
consistency lies  in  the  elimination  (through  bookkeeping)  of  equal  terms  (as  per  rules  of  algebra) 
brought  about  by  the  theoretical  making  of  double  entries  (two  entries,  each  with  a  common  debit  and 
credit)  and  thus  abbreviating  it  beyond  the  interpretation  of  ordinary  language.  Thus  we  may  go  on 
and  with  equal  ease  prove,  as  the  German  scholar  Jager  has  done,  that  double-entry  bookkeeping  is 
much  older  than  single-entry  bookkeeping,  the  latter  being  a  still  further  shortening  of  methods  of 
classification  by  the  use  of  the  terms  debit  and  credit.  Stevin  very  clearly  suggests  this  in  his  ex- 
planation of  the  rules  of  partnership. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  in  the  transfer  of  the  expositions  of  the  theory  from  the  Dutch  language 
(as  so  plainly  exemplified  by  the  scholar  Simon  Stevin)  to  the  English  (by  the  flowery  schoolmaster 
Richard  Daffome)  should  have  been  so  badly  done  that  all  records  of  the  scientific  part  of  the  art  and 
theory  have  been  so  completely  obscured  as  to  suggest  even  in  the  present  day  an  argument  on  theories  so 
well  known  in  those  olden  days. 

16 


LUCAS  PACIOLI  REPRODUCED 

The  following  eight  pages,  from  18  to  26,  and  the  succeeding  32  left-hand  pages,  numbers  28  to  80, 
represent  photographic  reproductions  of  the  oldest  extant  book  on  double-entry  bookkeeping,  published  in 
Venice,  Italy,  in  1494.  The  reproductions  are  of  the  same  size  as  the  original,  and  fully  illustrate  the 
make-up  of  the  book,  which  is  one  of  the  oldest  books  ever  printed  from  loose  metal  type  in  Roman  letters, 
as  explained  at  the  opening  of  the  historical  chapter.  The  ink  used  was  vegetable  dye  ink,  and  is  today 
as  black  and  as  fresh  as  India  ink,  after  420  years  of  use  and  exposure.  It  is  printed  on  hand-made  rag 
paper,  unsized,  which  after  so  many  years  of  exposure  to  air  and  light  is  still  so  far  superior  to  the  very 
best  modern  paper  that  a  comparison  eaiuiot  be  made. 

On  page  18  appears  the  title  of  this  book,  "Summa  de  Arithmetica,  Geometria,  Proportioni  et  Pro- 
portionalita, "  (Review  on  Arithmetic,  Geometry,  and  Proportions).  Below  the  title  is  a  brief  synopsis  of 
the  contents  of  the  book.  Part  1,  Section  9,  Treatise  11  of  this  ancient  book  treats  of  double-entry  book- 
keeping and  begins  on  page  199-a  of  the  original,  or  i)age  32  of  this  volume,  under  the  title  of  "Particu- 
laris  de  eomputis  et  Scripturis"  (Particulars  of  Reckonings  and  Their  Recording).  This  can  be  found  in 
the  seventh  line  of  page  32.  The  picture  directly  under  the  title,  on  page  32,  is  said  by  some  to  be  that  of 
the  author  of  this  book,  but  there  is  nothing  in  this  or  any  other  book  which  substantiates  this  assertion. 

Page  19,  which  immediately  follows  the  title  page  of  the  original,  contains  a  dedicatory  letter  by  the 
author,  whose  name  appears  on  the  second  line.  The  lower  half  of  this  page  is  occupied  on  the  right  by 
an  epigram  of  praise  to  Paeioli  by  a  friend  of  liis  and  on  the  left  by  an  epigram  by  the  author  to  the  reader. 

The  first  of  the  four  last  lines  of  this  page  contain,  a  list  of  the  letters  to  be  used  by  the  printer, 
merely  as  a  guide  for  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  this  style  of  printed  letters.  Thereafter,  on  the  last 
line,  the  year  (1494),  then  the  date  (November  20th),  and  then  the  place  (Venetia  or  Venice),  all  of  these 
pertaining  to  the  record  of  publication. 

Page  20  is  another  dedicatory  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Urbino.  The  author's  name  appears  here  in  the 
third  line. 

On  page  22,  in  the  third  line  of  the  center  paragraph,  the  author's  name  is  given  again,  this  time  in 
the  genetive  case,  hence  Pratris  Luce  instead  of  Frater  Lucas. 

Pages  24  and  25  are  reproduced  in  order  to  show  the  marginal  notes  there  given,  indicating  the  ab- 
breviations used  in  the  book,  and  their  interpretation.  Page  25  is  also  given  for  the  reference  the  author 
makes  in  line  7  to  three  of  his  pupils,  Bartolo,  Francesco,  and  Paulo,  the  three  sons  of  a  prominent  mer- 
chant of  Venice  named  (Antonio  de)  Rompiasi.  The  dash  over  the  "o"  in  the  original  indicates  that  an 
"m"  follows  the  "o." 

Page  23  is  given  to  reproduce  the  type  of  numerous  marginal  illustrations  the  author  gives  on  nearly 
every  page  of  his  chapters  on  geometry  and  arithmetic,  considering  the  manj*  illustrations  here  used  it 
seems  very  strange  that  he  should  not  have  given  some  in  his  chapter  on  bookkeeping. 

Page  26  is  given  to  show  that  our  modern  so-called  "eflSciency  engineers"  have  nothing  the  best  of 
this  monk  of  over  400  years  ago,  as  to  "organization  charts."  This  chart  illustrates  the  intricacies  of 
proportions. 

Pages  28  and  30  contain  the  index  of  the  chapter  on  double-entry  bookkeeping.  No  translation  is 
given  of  these  pages,  because  they  are  merely  repetitions  of  the  headings  of  each  chapter,  and  therefore 
their  translation  appears  at  those  places.  In  their  stead,  a  comparative  index  is  given  of  four  of  the  earli- 
est writers  on  bookkeeping,  in  order  to  illustrate  how  closely  they  have  followed  each  other. 

On  pages  32  to  80  (left-hand  only)  are  the  reproductions  of  the  original  chapter  on  double-entry  book- 
keeping. Opposite  each  reproduction  is  given  the  translation  in  modern  English  subject  to  the  qualifica- 
tions mentioned  in  the  preface. 


17 


©uma  t)eHritI?mctica  &to> 
metrmlC>20po:tiom  %  iC^^o/ 
po2tionalira. 

iCcntfncnria  octuttalopcra. 

be  nu^tim'  c  jntfurc  fn  tutti  modi  occurrcnn'. 
^&?opo:tionic4)po?rio3litaanotitia  ocl.  j?  oc^iKti 

dc£  XX  torn'  (i  alrri'  foi  libzi'. 
Cbmi  ouero  cui'dcnnc  numcro.  i  ;-^  le  qitita  conn 

iiue^poJri63(iocI.6fc.7t  De  Nuclide  cjrtrattt 
Curte  Ic  Bri  w:l3lgo2i(mo:doc.rclcuarc .  gtir.  multi/ 

plicar.famarcc  fotrarc  co  tuttt  fuc  4>uc  i  fani  c  rot' 

ti.c  radW  c  pzogrcflioni. 
£>c  la  regola  mcrcanrefca  Oi'tra  od-vc  foi  fodamcn' 

ricon  cafiCKinplaripcr  c?m?s.(g^uada5nuperd« 

tctranfpojf  attoniic  inucftjtc. 
]^am'r.niultipliC9r.fuinmar.e  fotrar  oc  le  p2opo?tiO 
■  niexjctuttcfoniradici. 

be  le.^.rcgole  or'  catayn  oftra  pofirioe  efua  oji'gie. 
£uidcnrie  general!  oucr  conclufi'oni  n?66.abfoluere 

ognicafodxperregoleozdinarteno  fi  podciTc. 
'^ucte  f02te  bmomii  c  redfi  c  altrc  lincc  irrariSali  oel 

ccdinoDc£ucIide. 
S'utte  regole  oc  al6cb?3  &itte  oe  la  cofa  c  k)2  fabzi' 

dxefondanienii'. 

£oiiip3gniei  rutri  modi.e  \02  partire. 
S^odde  DC  bcllianif.  c  \07  partiVc 
^ittupefd6i:cottinii:Iiudli:logagionitcgod!menrf. 
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£]^n'nTemplici  c  a  capo  oanno  c  alrri  tcrmim". 
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dipm  partite 

0jt.argetulo:o  affinare.  ecarattare* 
fl^lticafieragiom'ftraojdmancvan'ce  siuerfe  8 

tatfcoceurenticcommondlafeqoenre  rauoh  ap^ 

pare  o^dinatamentc  oe  tutte. 
BvMu  a  fapcr  tener  ognitotfj  t  fcn'pnire  e  cd  qua 

dcrnofhvinegia. 
ICarifia  m  tuttevfani'e  t  coftuittt  nicre«ntefd?i  m  tut 

todmoHdo. 
:^?atica  e  t(?eo:ica  oe  gcometria  c  ce  H.^co:pf  regu/ 

lariealtrttJcpcndenn', 
£  incite  altrecofed  grandirtimf  piaceric  frutto  coj 

ino  oifufamentcper  la  fequciitc  tauola  appare. 


18 


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p?ofclToj€B  iiiimnui0.S?.'^.£). 

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lilullrasitubumaniratercruditoct'r  cloqueriarquibuspauci  no  oico  rucciuitaris  bomics: 
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mo  rcpeto'qua  cura  7  ftudio  laboiaucmivt  nollruni  boc  rolmne  perpcriii's  impzcfTojum  monunicii/ 
ris  twderetur  non  fans  mibi  ipft  fufficcrc  video::  vt  ali'qua  cr  parre  qiiirulaenq5  nbi  fanTfafercm  Blij 
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noftratvtcdcrcntur  nobis  foIittfiu8ciirafti.'i5i7ofecro  iKud  erillimoiingenii  tui  fQeamdiratCMi  no  foi 
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rcmtucriflimuqj  die  illud  ifc)lyni3nuin  cr  tc  Didic»»5ta  ccrtc  recondunt  qui  pauca  aliqua  noucrc  iuidc 
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gotiarioni operam  funt.oaturi.  ©cd  vide  qucfo  quid  nobis  obtigen't:  wm  tibi  fatiffaccrc  conoj  ma/ 
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rutelam  cnam  ruam  ocpofcimiis.tlermn'quod  nog  efficcrc  non  polTumus  ocum  optimum  marimuj 
vna  cum  ferafico  noftro  fancto  f  rancifco  adiuuantibus  cofratribus  noftris  frequenter  ozabimus:  vt 
libipares  gratias  ingcnio  ooorinc  virtun  7  nobilitati  tuc  referant.  tIaU     Bd  uota 


^4.l5>ompilij  cpigf  ama  ad  Icctojcm^ 

CJucfucranr  mcdiis  carieconfumptalatcbris 

IReftituit  lucas  lecto?  amice  tibi 
O^oem'a  filapides^uotbabctereaa  fubaurae: 

5uttibipt>ortjeo8  ttnipcret  annus  equoa; 
£tquc  cerulcao  ducat  re  (lella  per  undae; 

£(  que  occfiuoco:po?c  figna  cadantr 
J,inca;quid  cojpustquid  a'rcus  et  angulus  ois: 

eiue  fit  apcllcfl  piaa  tabeKa  manu: 
Ultima  que  tern's  regio-quas  fluctibus  urbes 

£rrrcmu8  gclidis  abluat  occeanus. 
2renipo2e  feu  certoconco:dem  emitterc  uoccm 

j^aturc  mozes  difcerc  fcii  cupies. 
fcf  mere  feu  numerosnumeris  fiuc  adderetctas 

Solidtum  medio  fen  iuuat  cfie  (020: 
fernic  emetquicquid  en"t  liber  bic  coducet  ag2n': 

cJuod  non  dantplurca:  Wc  fcret  unus  opem. 


£larifnmi'uiri  bflminf  i5>io?gri  fifumarippa  ve 
roncfis  parricij  £pigrainma  adauaoxm. 
£bidouefre(odartu3  nobcliate: 

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l&er  lopja  nonbumanarma  diuina 

feoggiimp?efla  iruieneriaalma  dtate 
Zuca  burgenfe  mio  ercellente  ft-atc 

/Conuerna  bauer  ftudiato  in  medicina: 

>aftronomia:e  in  liberal  foaim 

be  larri  tutte:c  in  le  flfbecf>anicatc. 
€Ba  cflfedo  cufli  ben  dillucidata 

£>3  tua  crccllenca  in  ogniloco  e  parte 

£  a  6nido  tibaldo  5ilnftre  inritulata 
i^cra  da  tutto  i(  inondo  fibjamata 

iCbe  ogni  poema  ognieloqucn^a  ctarte 

©icomendarla  rimarra  ercufata. 
I&uruedendottagrara 
l&ongo  Ho  grandifale  in  tua  m'uancjj 
l^farla  fapo?ica  ^cuila  inanda: 


5«E?^* «    9b.c.d.e.f.g.b.i.b.l.m.n.o.p.q,r.d  tu.f.y.c^.'T.^^.aa.    CmneeSmt  qitoKf/ 
iJipKter  If,  qmcftquinrernu8.£t  BH  quieftfepternus. 

iRegi'flrutn  £>eometnc:qucrc  in  ulnma  carra  totiue  opcris. 
fle>?cccc?ljcliiij?jc]cMRoucmbji8.  ycncrije 


19 


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^facreXbcologic£@flgiftri.^n  artcahtbinrticcii^eomcmc.  ipzcfatio. 

3  quanta  2l^agnanimo  t>uca 

c  fi  nobilc  1  cpcellcrc  cofa  cbe  inolti  pbHofopbi 
p  qlto  Ibano  giudicara  ala  fubftarta  para:  €  co/ 
indTacocterna.iPcrocbcbano  cognofauto  p 
vcrii  niodo  alcuna  cofa  in  rep  natara  fen5a  lei 
no  porerc  c]ciftere.*Hier  la  qual  cofa  T>e  In  itcdo 
( CO  laiuto  T>e  colui  cbc  It  noftri  fcnfi  reggg  rra/ 
ctarmr.nocbcpaltripzif^i  canticbi  pbflofo/ 
pbinoncfiacopiofantftc  tractatoiei  tbcozica 
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®  iffinitfoncs  i  Biuifio  ^ifcrctc  ^  continue  quantiiari8:artuulii»  pxunu«  ptim* 
Dtftmctionis. 

O^coftd5ca.:^quattraefrere  fmediatc  bimembiercice  cotinua  c  ^ifcrcra. 
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to  alo  intento  afpeaa  cbiaramentc  tractaremo, 

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20 


WHAT  WAS  PACIOLI'S  REAL  NAME  ? 


In  the  historical  chapter,  we  have  stated  that  the  name  of  the  author  of  the  firat  book  on  bookkeep- 
ing was  not  definitely  known.  This  is  quite  apparent  from  the  different  versions  of  the  spelling  of  the 
name,  which  we  find  in  the  various  books,  and  it  becomes  rather  amusing  to  read  how  the  various  au- 
thors mentioning  this  name  take  delight  in  stating  tliat  the  other  fellow  is  wrong  and  they  are  right.  Yet 
no  two  of  them  apparently  give  it  alike. 

Browai  in  his  history  of  accounting  especially  ridicules  Ympyn's  version,  and  with  it  all  Brown  him- 
self spells  it  Paciolo,  with  an  "o"  at  the  end,  whereas  all  the  authorities  he  quotes  spell  it  with  an  "i"  at 
the  end,  and  he  gives  no  explanation  as  to  why  he  prefers  the  "o".  Below  we  give  a  tabulation  of  the 
various  spellings  of  these  names  by  the  various  authors,  each  one  being  preceded  by  the  authority  from 
whicli  we  have  taken  the  name.  We  have  adhered  to  the  spelling  of  Lucas  Pacioli  throughout,  because  we 
believe  that  to  be  the  proper  spelling,  from  the  two  best  researchers  who  have  written  about  him,  namely, 
the  two  Germans  Jiiger  and  Kheil,  and  further,  because  we  believe  that  the  "li"  in  the  old  Italian  was 
Latinized  into  "lus,"  and  the  "c"  is  the  old  Italian  for  the  Latin  "t"  in  most  all  cases  where  the  Latin 
■'t"  is  preceded  and  followed  by  a  vowel.  Furthermore,  we  have  the  author's  own  version  of  his  own 
name,  as  we  have  seen  elsewhere,  in  the  only  book  that  is  published  with  his  name  in  full,  namely:  "Di- 
viua  Proportione, "  which  was  written  in  Latin  and  where  he  gives  the  Latin  of  his  own  name.  While 
"Luco"  is  the  Italian  for  the  Latin  "Lucas,"  we  follow  the  author's  own  spelling  in  liis  Italian  as  well  as 
Latin  books,  namely  "Lucas": 


AUTHORITY. 

Summa  de  Arithmetica 
(author's  original) 


SPELLING  OF  NAME. 
Frater  Lucas  de  Burgo  Sancti  Sepulchri 


(The  above  name  appears  first  on  the  second  line  of  page  19  of  this  book,  which  is  the  second  page 
of  the  original;  also  on  the  third  line,  page  20  of  this  book,  which  is  page  3  of  the  original;  and  in 
the  third  line  of  the  second  paragraph,  page  22  of  this  book,  being  page  4  of  the  original — here, 
however,  it  is  given  in  the  genitive,  hence  Fratris  Luce  instead  of  Frater  Lucas). 


La  Scuola  perfetta  dei  Mercanti  (second  edition 
of  Summa  de  Arithmetica  by  same  printers) 

Diviua  Proportione 
(author's  original) 

Contemporary  writers 

Jan  Ympyn  Christoffels 
(in  his  French  book) 

Guido  Brandaglia 

Ernst  Ludwig  Jager 

Carl  Peter  Kheil 

Beckmann's  History 

Anderson's  History 

Clitofonte  Bellini 

(Trattato     Elementare     Teorico — Pratico    di 
Ragionesia  Grenerale) 

V.  VianeUo 

(Luca  Paciolo  nella  Storia  della  Ragionesia) 

Pawell  Ciompa 

(Grundrisse  einer  Oekonometrie ) 

L.  Gomberg 

(Griindriss  der  Verrechnungswissenschaft) 

V.  Gitti 

(De  Computio — modern) 

Moritz  Cantor 

(Geschichte  der  Mathematik) 

Sigismund  Giinther 

(Geschichte  der  Mathematik)    ' 

Catholic  Encyclopedia 

Richard  Brown 

John  B.  Geijsbeek 


Fra  Paciolo  di  Borgo  Santo  Sepolcro 

Lucas  Patiolus  (the  Latin  of  the  Italian  Pacioli) 

Lucas  Pacciolus 

Frere  Lucas  de  Bargo  Sancty  Sepulcry 

Luca  Pacciolo 

Lucas  Paccioli 

Fra  Luca  Pacioli  di  Borgo  Sansepolero 

Lucas  von  Borgo 

Lucas  von  Borgo 

Luca  Paciolo 

Luca  Paciolo 

Luca  Paciolo 

Luca  Paciolo 

Fra  Luca  Pacciolo 

Paciuolo 

Paciolo 

Lucas  Pacioli 

Fra  Luca  Paeiolo  Da  Borgo  San  Sepolchro 

Lucas  Pacioli 


ai 


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22 


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ro  fop?a  il  ccrcbio.b  g  d.vna;  figura  rctti  linea  baucnte  e  latic  gliangoli  iguali  contcncntc 
qocllotc  ficnno  li  lati  inficmi  agibnti  mcno  dx  lo  ocppio  od.i  ^dx  fta  la  ngura.l  u  t.£  mc 
ncrola  linea.a  b.laqual<c  pcrpcndicularC  fop?a  la  linca.b  u.in  qucllo  modo.a&cncro  la  li 
ncfl.c  t.ftcnno  li  quadrati  oc  le  littcc.c  b.7.b  t.igu.ilial  quadrato  oc  la  linca.c  t.c  commune  a 
turn"  fia  fl  quadrato  oc  la  pcrpcndicularc.  a  cfiranno  li  quadrati  oc  (c  linccc  b.c.b  a.  ^gua^ 
Ual  quadrato  oc  la  Imca.c  t.c  communamcntefagioiiga  il  quadrato  oc  la  pcrpcndicula'rca 
c.ficnnoliquadratiioclclince.ac.cb.bt.ciocU  quadrati  oclclince.abx.b  t.iguali  ^l  qua^ 
drato.at.onde  langolo.a  b  t.e  rctto.^pcndicularce  adonca  la  linca.a  b.fopja  la  linca.c  ft. 
5»imflmcntcfimoftra  lalinca.a  g.eflcrc  pcrpcndicularc  fop.'a.h  l.c.a  d.fop:a  lalinca.tl.  £ 
pcrdx  le  rcttca  b.a  g.a  d.foimo  infra  lo:o  iguali  virra  oc  la  muUiplicarione  duna  oi  qiid 
Ic  commo  od.a  b.ne  la  mita  oc  lari  ocl  trwngolo.t  k  Membado  oucr  area  oc  la  fupcrfide  oc 
la  piramidc.a  t  k  l.magioxoc  la  fupcrficie  oc  la  piramidc.a  b  g  d.condofia  cofa  cbc  la  coji 
tcnga  qudlaldoc  qudlodxinfral  ccrcbio.b  g  d.e  il  ponto.a.e  (a  nnta  oclatioel  n-iangolo 
.t  k  l.c  mino2C  dx  la  quantita.i<;.fldonca  gia  fo  la  multiplicationc  oc  la  linca.a  b.qucllo  dS 
(  mcno  oc  la  linca.i  ^.c  magio:c  oc  la  fupcrficie  oc  la  piramida  oi  colonna  dx  c  impollibi- 
Ic.adonca  non  ne  poffibilc  dx  la  multiplicationc  oc  la  linca.a  b.ne  la  linca  dx  fia  magio' 
re  DC  la  mita  od  cercbioisg  d.fia  Icmbado  oucr  contincnria  oc  la  fupcrficic.a  bg  d.  BncO' 
ra  P0220  la  linca.i  ^.mfox  oc  la  mfta  oc  la  drcufcrcntia  ocl  rirailo.b  g  dc  fc  poflTWlce  cH»  €1 
outto.a  b.i.i(.ncgucg3  (area oc  la  fupficie  dla  piramidc.a  bgd.B  multiplicarc  adocad  la 
>i.t  la  cfrcufcrctia  dl  drculo.b  g  d.fara  la  fugfi'.Diia  mio:e  pirainidc  t>  la  piramidc^  b  g  dL 


23 


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67 


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XX  li  ^J.partendoliin.i  2  .fonno  d.£clo  d?e  auanca  oe  li  f4)arnrirn.2o.f6no  P.£do  clx  aua^ 
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bigratii-ponizmo  c\x  tu  babi  arcdure  ale  inasiojivalutc  ouer  inagio?i  moncce  qucfta  ^ 
tita  oe  pidoludoe  piabli  rtuniero.96598.C>ico  clx  pjima  facci  commo  fcfti  oi  fop2a  ni  It  pc 
fio:dinamcnte rcducendo pziina  ala immediata moneta  fcquentetqualeccl foldo in  que ' 
fto  modo."^rtendo  la  oitta  fumma  oe  pidoliper.  1 2  .neuen.8o49.e  fono  foldi  e  auanca.  1  o 
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gozdooiuerfamentcfeatcndanoifccondolequatuicaivtrupza  oeclarautmus. 
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tc.£  poi  libzacd  partirai  pcr.4t  virratte  cane:e  lauan^firan  bzaccia.iSi  commo  baueiTe 
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tuttc  altre  finuli  per  te  farai  ?£. 

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munamente  in  queflolib?ofevfaranno:oed3iararemo:fiinl3rtcmeno;eouermerc3to?ia: 
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trofonno  trooari-.eircepto  in  algebja  dx  per  fozt^aCoiffcrenrie  caufa)fo  bifogno  trouare. 
■  feercbcnon  fi  potte  a  tutte  quantita  metter  nome.Jdeo  7c. 

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quedi  tc  rcp^'cfentaratfecondod  fuon  oe  la  materia  dx  life  cohnra.0ndc  fra  le  valute  .p. 
ocnota  picioli.  fra  mefure  picdi.f  ra  quanrita  oe  panni  pc^^a .  5n  operatione  oc  algebra 
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revolumife  oelettano.Jurtaillud.bidte  piendes  non  omnia  polTumus  oranceic  cofi  fa/ 
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e amucabala  fcruarcmo  noi  in  quefto  le  qufoa  lato  abrcuiawrc oucr carattcri; 

i   iii 


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f)  ^fffjtcrrfa  [1 


a  fir  in  ifimtum  m  vltimis  fpcdebue.iQue  ofa  i  fin 
fi|ulafup:a  Zbeozrcci  T^aticc  figillarimcrcmpla 
rittT  Dcclarata  funt.^uarusivirce  cr  fcquentibug 
coclufiorilbus  icafibus  mamfeftelittcratis'z  vul/ 
Saribueapp^CHt.^tibi.  ^dco-zc. 


26 


PECULIAR  SAYINGS  OF  PACIOLI 

Chapter    1.  "Wlhere  there  is  no  order  there  is  confusion." 

2.  "Every  action  is  determined  by  the  end  in  vi(>w." 

3.  "Defining  diligently  and  truthfully  so  that  truth  will  always  guide  you." 

4.  "More  bridges  are  necessary  for  a  good  merchaiit  than  a  lawyer  can  make." 

"The  merchant  is  like  a  rooster,  which  of  all  tlie  animals  is  the  most  alert,  and  in  winter  and 
summer  keeps  his  night  vigils  and  never  rests." 

"Also  it  is  said  that  the  head  of  the  merchant  lias  a  hundred  eyes  and  still  they  are  not  suf- 
ficient for  all  he  has  to  saj'  or  do." 

"The  law  helps  those  that  are  awake — not  those  that  sleep." 

"Dante  says: 

'My  son,  it  behooves  that  you  quit  your  laziness. 

God  promised  the  crown  to  the  watcliful  ones. 
He  who  lies  on  feathers  or  under  cover  will  never  amount  to  anything.     Such  a  one  leaves  on 

this  earth  the  same  trace  as  the  smoke  in  the  air  or  foam  on  the  water'."     . 

"Work  should  not  seem  to  you  strange  for  Mars  never  granted  a  victory  to  those  that  spent 
their  time  resting." 

A  sage  said  to  the  lazy  man  to  take  the  ant  as  an  example. 

Apostle  Paul  says  that  no  one  will  be  worthy  of  the  crown  except  he  who  shall  figiit  valiantly 
for  it. 

Remember  God  and  your  neighbor. 

Attend  religious  meditation  every  morning,  for  through  this  you  will  never  lose  your  way. 

By  being  charitable  you  will  not  lose  your  riches. 

The  Saviour  in  the  book  of  St.  Matthew  admonishes,  "Seek  you  Christians  first  the  Kingdom 
of  God  and  then  the  other  temporal  and  spiritual  things  you  will  I'asily  obtain." 

18  and  31     "Who  does   nothing  makes   no  mistakes;  who  makes  no  mistakes  learns  nothing. 

22  Otfieials  do  not  bother  about  details. 

23  Accounts  are  nothing  else  than  tlie  expressions  in  writing  of  the  arrangement  of  his  affaii's. 

which  the  merchant  keeps  in  his  mind. 

If  you  are  in  business  and  do  not  know  all  about  it,  your  money  will  go  like  flies,  that  is,  you 
will  lose  it. 

29  Books  should  be  closed  each  year,  especially  in  partnership  because  frequent  accounting 
makes  for  long  friendship. 

33  If  the  losses  are  in  excess  of  the  gains — from  which  state  of  affairs  may  God  keep  every  one 
who  really  lives  as  a  good  Christian. 

35  If  you  do  not  put  the  place  and  date  on  a  letter,  you  will  be  made  fun  of.  because  we  say  the 
letter  which  does  not  bear  the  date  was  written  during  the  night,  and  the  letter  which  does 
not  bear  the  place  we  say  that  it  was  written  in  tlie  other  world  and  not  in  this  one. 


27 


00  mmepcgno.io.contra.i  ^.vnalrro  incttc.io.contra.:  y-oiniandarc  cbi  cbc 
uanrjgi'o  c  quanto  p  c.  f'n  cofi  pji'ina  uedi  quanto  mcriccin'a.zo.dc  I'coturo  a 
rara.cbc.i  o.a.i  ^.c  cnfe.i  o.a.i  ^.cl?f  bara.:o.otrra  baucr.'.o.oonca  iicdi  dx  nori 
hi  dcbito  fcontro  baWaiido.:?  ozucdi  djeli  niancadx  U  niidxra  O3.:7.a.;o. 
<Ix  foni.ucdi  d?c  gtefon  dc  fuo  capital  cbc  c.  -  odjc  (on  li-jl-C  tato  cb'jc  oi  oano  n  I  fo  ca 
pitalc rcfpccro a lalcro.oonca argucfd clx laltro  babia amqio U. Jdcl fuo  capi'talc cb uol 
dir.i S'.pcr.c^.dxfi rroua  and?e a  qudlomodo diccndo colui  mcttcndo. i o.riraria  i S.k  mo 
teTc.i oo.cbc n'rarauc opera  riraria  i >"o.quair3(ua.Tt>oi p laltro  oi'raifc.io.uol.i y-cbc  uo' 
ra.t  oo.dx  uirra  a  uolcrc. i  ;f .cb ocdi  cbc  itianco  dx.  i  ^o.del  p°.fi  dx  cbbc  fuatagio  B  (jqc 
q'to  g  c'.abbari.  i  *^ f  .dc.  i  ? o.rcfta.  i  f  .c  tato  cbbc  dar»o  i  tutro per  baucr  mclto.  i  oo.ci'oc  Ixiuc 
darmo  ral  pane  qual  fon.i  <.dc.i  oc^.dx  fon  \i  ji.ut  fup:a  latro  au.iiKo  p  u  dx  lui.i  N.in  tut' 
to  clx  fon  li.jl.pnr  del  oo.fuocapitale:fidxauantag«o.i  f.p  c^.fatta  per  cfx  rcinp  lal  par- 
te quale  gdc  Innoqlla  mcdcfima  pre ucne  a  la^arc  laltro e  cofi  i  baratti. 

Xauola  del  £5uadcrno. 
&c  qudic  cox  cbcp:mcipalmctcrdno  nccclTaric  al  ucro  mcrcataiuctc  oe  lojdinc  a  fapcrc  tc 

nerc  bene  vn  quadcriio  c6  lofiio  ^02n3lc  in  uenctia:c  ancbc  p  oc,ni  alrro  !«Ot;o.       ca'-i 
be  la  pania  ptc  p:incipal  oe  qucllotraaato  dcip  ifiucntano:c  dx  eofa  fia  inuentarioie  co 

me  fra  mcrcatanti fi  babia  a  fare.  ca'.  J 

5^o?in3  crcinplarc:c6  tutrc  fiic  folcnnita  i  \o  iiiuctan'o  requifitc.  ca^  j 

OtilifTimaeroaationc'.cfalutifcridocuincntialbonmercataiucptincti.  ca'.4 

bela.i'.pte  pn'ticipale  Del  p:cfcre  tractate  ditta  diTpoiiccomc  lafabbia  a  ifciidere:e  i  cbc  c5 

fiftc: circa  al  trafico.e  dc li. ; .lib.n'  pniicipali  del  co:po  mcrca nrcfco.  ca'.? 

t)d  p'.lib^o ditto nicmojiale oner fquartafoblio  o  uadxtta  qllo dx fe  itcdaic  comoi  ciTo 

fe  babia  a  fcniicrcic  per  cbi.  ca'-fi 

bcl  nio  coitio  i  niolti  lod>i  fi  bablo  autcn'care  tutti  li  lib'.  inercatcfcW:e  p  cixte  da  d>i.c.7 
£6mo  fe  dcbino  oittarc  Ic  ptitc  f  oitto  mcmo2ia!e  co  ercpli.  ,        ca^-9 

bc\i  noucmodip  liqualicoiminamcrc  ficoftuma  frali  mercawncicopazarcie  dlemeriatic 

quail  d  pin  dc  Ic  iioltc  dc  ncccifita  a  tcoo  (i  cop:ano.  ea°. <f 

bdfccondohbjop.'incipalcmcrcantcfco  oitto  giornaletquel  cbel  (iaecommcfcdebiaoi 

fponere  oiditratamciiie.  ca'.  i  o 

bell  001  termini  ncl  ditto  gibmale  rfitatitnaicimc  I  vcnctia'.luno  ditto  p^r:  laltro  ditto.a 


28 


COMPARATIVE  INDEX  OF  THE  EARLIEST  WRITERS 


The  following  is  a  schedule  showing  comparatively  the  contents  of  the  chapters  of  Pacioli,  Manzoni, 
Pietra  and  Ympyn,  so  that  the  reader  may  have  a  quick  perception  of  the  extent  to  which  Manzoni,  Pietra 
and  Ympyn  have  followed  Pacioli.  Only  the  most  important  items  are  given.  Carefully  note  the  coin- 
cidence that  even  the  order  in  which  the  chapter  is  given  practically  remains  unchanged  from  that  of 
Pacioli. 


CONTENTS  OF  CHAPTERS. 

The  things  a  merchant  needs  and  description  of  sys- 
tem of  keeping  a  journal  and  a  ledger 

Description  of  an   inventory,   movables,   immovables, 
accounts  receivable,  accounts  payable 

Sample  of  an  inventory  in  full  detail  by  lots 

Useful  instruction  to  a  merchant 

Introduction  to  second  part  of  the  treatise  covering 
■ '  Disposition ' '   

Description,  etc.,  of  the  day  book 


CHAPTER  NUMBERS. 


The  marking  of  the  books  and  the  use  of  the  cross 
on  them 

Authentication  of  books  by  notaries 

Sample  entry  for  the  day  book 

Nine  methods  of  purchasing  goods,  as  many  for  selling 

Description  of  the  journal 

The  two  terms  "Per"  and  "A"  and  the  two  little 

lines  //  

The  term  "Cash"  

The  term  "Capital" 

Samples  of  journal  entries 

One  kind  of  money  in  amount  column 

Line  under  each  entry  and  through  money  column, 
diagonal  line  through  day  book  entry  when  jour- 
nalized, or  check  off  at  beginning  or  end  of  entry 

The  Ledger  

The  Index 

Four  lines  for  money,  one  for  ledger  pages,  two  for 
dates 

Posting  from  journal  to  ledger 

Two  diagonal  lines,  one  on  left  and  one  on  right,  when 
entry  is  posted 

Posting  figures  one  above  other,  divided  by  a  little  line 

The  place  for  the  date 

Year  in  Roman  figures 

Change  in  j'ear  between  entries 

In  personal  account  more  detail  required 

Spacing  of  ledger  to  save  transfer : 

Index  

Further  instruction  about  merchandise  entries  in  the 
ledger   


Pacioli 
1 

2 
3 
4 

5 
6 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 
12 
12 
12 
12 

12 
13 
13 

13 
14 

14 
14 
15 
1.') 
15 
15 
15 
15 

16 


Manzoni 
Vol.  I/l 

Vol.  1/2 
Vol.  1/3 
Vol.  1/4 


Vol.  1/5 


Pietra 
1 

6-8 

9 

10 


16 


21 

Vol. 

1/7 

16 

Vol. 

I/ll 

26-28 

Vol. 

1/8 

20-24 

Vol. 

I/IO 

2 

Vol. 

1/9 

49 

Vol. 

1/9 

30-3:'! 

Vol. 

1/12 

Vol. 

1/12 

30 

Vol. 

1/12 

30 

Vol. 

11 /I 

30 

Vol. 

1/11 

36 

Vol. 

IT/1 

Vol. 

[1/5 

39 

Vol. 

II/6 

Vol. 

II/7 

38 

Vol. 

1/11 

Vol. 

1 1/2 

14 

Vol. 

I/ll 

Vol. 

II/4 

Vol. 

1/12 

36 

Vol. 

I/ll 

36 

Ympyn 
1 


3 
4 


5-6 

7 
8 

9 
9 
9 
9 
9 

9 

10 
10 

10 

n 


n 

12 
12 
12 


12 
10 


Vol.  1/12 


36 


29 


Biftincfio  no^a2:^actat^9.xl^©c^m■pfuri3.       198 

e  qucITo  dv  per  lo:o  fc  I?abi3  3  oenowrc.  ca^  1 1 

bd niodo a f.ipcr poncrec oinarc k ptirrc i fogfojnalc od oarc c dc lancre  c6 molnercin 

pIi';c«xlidoiaItn termini ndquadcrnoufuatiluno  ocrrocalTac  lalrro caucdalcic  qudlo 

c\x  per  c(Ti  fe  babia  intcnderc.  ca°.  1 : 

Dd  rcr(,o  7  vUimo  Iib:o  pjinapalc  mcreantdco  oetto  el  cjderno  commo  ocbbe  ciTer  farto  c 

pel  fuo  alfobcto cotno fc uebtn'a  o:dinarc  vgtiiolo  e oopio.  ca".i  ? 

bd  mo  a  po:r3re le  ptite  oel  giocnale  i  qderno:c p dx  de  rna  f  gibrnafe  fc  iie  facia  ooiin  q 

derno:eodmodoa  Depcnnarc  Ic  parnrc  in  gioznalecdelioornumeri  Die  earn  oclqua 

dcrno  (be  in  k  fue  margine  ft  ponc:e  p  cbc.  a".  \  4 

Del  m«3  a  fapc  oitrare  Ic  ptirc  oe  la  ealTa  c  eaucdalc  nd  quaderno  i  oare  c  l>auerf :c  od  mile- 

fimo  d?e  oi  fop:3  nd  p:  incipio  oc  la  earra  a  lantieo  fi  metre  in  eiToie  oela  fua  mutan'oiic:c 

dd  eoprir  li  fpacij  oc  le  carti  fcDo  Ic  gtite  plecole  e  gradi  k6o  d  bifogno  D  le  faccde.ca.  1 5 
tComo  k  dcbino  oirrare  le  partite  oe  le  mercanrie  dx  p  inuentario  0  alrro  modo  lomo  fe  n 

troii3:ncI  quaderno  in  oare  e  in  bauerc.  ej°.i 6 

t>d  modo  a  tencr  como  con  li  officii  puplidic  per  dx:c  de  la  camera  odimp:efhtti  in  vcnc 

rta  d?e  fe  goiierna  per  via  oe  fertieri.  ca?  1 7 

Commofe  ocbia  tencr  conto  cbnToffifcio  oc  la  mclTetaria  in  uenen'a  c  ocl  oittare  le  f  uc  par'' 

tire  in  memo:iale:5iorn3le:eqderno:eanco:aoclimp2elli.  sea".  18. 

£>d  modo  a  fapcre  notare  c  oittare  vna  ptita  6  robba  copata  a  (dmi'Atmn.Ui  libji  doc  nic 

mo:iale:gio2nalc:c  quadernorc  come  a  ptc  cotati  e  pte  tepo  al  medefimo  £apitolo. 
£emmo  fe  ocbia  o?dinare  el  pagamento  cbc  bauefle  a  fare  per  oitta  e  ba  ncbo  defcripr is  nc 

li  toi  lib2ip:inapali.  ea°.  1  9 

t>e  le  piitc  famofe  epticulan"  nd  maneggio  traficatc  como  fonobaratti  copagnie  tccomo 

le  fe  babbino  afettare  t  ordinare  ne  li  libii  mcrcatefcbi:c  p:ima  oe  li  baratti  femplici  copo 

Hi  e  col  tepo  co  apti  erepli  oc  tutti  i  memo2iale:gio:nalf  e  qd  trn  0.  a". 20 

tc  laltra  pariitta  f amofa  oi'tta  Compagniercommo  fe  ocbi'no  02dinarc:e  dittarc  in  tutti  U 

modi  ocurrenti  in  eiafcunolib:o.  ca'.ii. 

Ce  to:dine  oc  Ic  pritc  oeriafcuna  fpcfarcomo  oc  cafa  o?dinarie:ftr3ordinarie:c  oi  nicrean 

ri  j:  falarij  oe  g3r»;oni  c  facton  como  fabino  a  fcriucrc:e  oittare  neli  libzi.  ca°.2  2 

be  lojdinec  mo  a  fap  tencr  f  n  eoto  oc  botcga  in  tua  mano  0  adaltri  rccomandata  c  como 

feoebino  nelilib:iautcntici'ddpatronecaficbeinqudlidcbotega  feparacamente  fcri' 

ueree  oittare.  ea".:? 

£6mo  fe  babino  a  fettare  nd  giojnale  e  qdcrno  le  ptite  oe  li  bacbi  oc  fcritta:eqli  fc  inrcdi' 

no e  ooue ne fia-.o  de cabiitii  co lo:ofiando mcrearante-.c  tu c6  altriquado foiTc  b^d?iai; 

e  oe  le  quietace  cbe  p  licabififannorc  p  dx  fe  ncfacia  ooi  oc  medefimo  tenojc.     ca".24 
be  vnaltra  parrita  dbc  3lc  uoltc  fe'coftuma  nd  qdcrno  tcnerc  octta  entrata  c  ufdta c  aleuoUc 

fenefa  libjo  parti'eulare.c  per  dx.  ca°.2  j 

£6mo  fe  babino  afettare  ndi  lib:i  k  ptitc  dc  li  uiaggf  i  fua  mano:c  qltc  de  li  afaggi  rccoma 

dm:c  comooe  neccfflta  oe  tali  nafcono  ooi  quaderni.  ca°z6 

bcunaltraptif3famofacittap:oco3nnooueroauangedcfauano':commo  lafabia  a  tc 

nerc  nd  quadcrnoic p  dx  ella  non  fi  metta  hd  gib.male como  le  aftre  ptitc.         ca*'.: 7 
£6mo  fe  oebino  reportarc  in  an^e  Ic  ptite  od  quadcmorquando  folTeropiencic  i  dx  luogo 

fabbi  a  portare  el  refto:ado  no  fia  pzefa'maliria  nd  quaderno.  ca'.a  S 

bd  modo  a  faper  mutarcd  milefimo  nd  quaderno  fra  le  piite  cbc  3  la  gioznata  acafcano: 

quando  ognianno  non  fifaldaffc  li  libzi.  ca'29 

Com  m  0  fe  dcbia  leuarc  vn  conto  al  debit  ore  cbc  lo  oomandafTcc  ancora  al  fn  0  patr  one  fi 

ondo  factoze  e  cdmcrTo  de  tutta  la  amim'ftrarioe  de  le  robbc.  ca'.;o 

bd  modo  e  ordine  a  faper  rctractare o  ueroiftoznarc  una  0  piu  partitctcfx  p  error  iMueiTc 

poftein  altro  luogo  cbc  doucffcroandarc  como  aduencprmemozaginc.  c&y\ 

Commo  fc  debia  fare  d  brtando  od  lib:o  e  dd  modo  a  repoztarc  vn  libro  in  laltrotcioc  ej  q 

dcrno  ycd?io  nd  qdemo  iiuouo  e  dd  modo  a  pontarlo  con  lo  fuo  giornale  e  memon'ale  c 

altri  fcontri  dctro  e oifuo:  od  ditto  quaderno.  P  V* 

bz\  modoeo?dinc  afcnuerelefaccndc  dx  occurrelTcrond  tempo  dxfifad  bilanaoicioc 

cbefifjldaiio  lilib?ic  commo  ndi  lilibriucd?i  non  fi  (Jd?iarcriuerc  ncinnouare  cofa  alcu 

na  in  ditto  tcmpoie  la  cagione  per  dx»  ^  •'» 


80 


CONTENTS  OP  CHAPTERS. 

About  the  entries  in  accounts  with  public  officials  and 
banks  

Transactions  with  the  market  master,  and  sales  for 
cash  or  on  time  witlj  brokers'  commissions 

Transfer  of  money  through  an  order  on  another  firm 
or  a  bank 

Trades  and  exchanges,  and  their  book  entries 

Joint  venture  accounts  and  trades 


General  expenses,  commissions,  and  salaries,  income 
and  expenses,  profit  and  loss 

Branch  stores  or  houses 

The  bank  or  private  draft  and  their  duplicate  receipt. . 

A  separate  book  for  income  and  expenses 

A  separate  ledger  and  journal  when  traveling  with 
goods  

Profit  and  loss 

Why  these  entries  do  not  go  through  the  journal 


Transfer  of  an  account  to  another  page  in  the  ledger 
(difference  only)  ;  not  entered  in  journal 

The  change  in  the  year  between  entries  in  the  ledger... 

The  preparation  of  a  statement  of  account  for  cus- 
tomers   _ 

Correction  of  an  error  in  posting 

Balancing  of  the  ledger  and  transfer  to  a  new  ledger... 

Checking  with  dots 

Checking  with  other  marks 


What  to  do  with  new  entries  during  period  of  closing 
ledger   

The  balancing  of  all  accounts 

Profit  and  loss  account 

Final  closing  of  the  profit  and  loss  into  capital 

The  trial  balance  and  balance  account 


Letters  and  documents — how  preserved  and  filed; 
mercantile  letters  give  date  and  place  at  top ;  non- 
mercantile  at  bottom 

Resume  of  entire  treatise 

Balancing  entries  marked  Ro  (resto) „ 


Pacioli 
17 

18 

19 
20 
21 

22 
23 
24 
25 

26 

27 
27 

28 
29 

30 
31 
32 
32 
32 

33 
34 
34 
34 
34 

35 
36 
36 


CHAPTER  NUMBERS. 
Mauzoni  Pietra 


Ympyn 


Vol.  II/9 


51 
35 


43 


43 
42 

40 


Vol. 

11/12 

60 

Vol. 

11/11 

41 
52 

52 

Vol. 

11/10 

52 





35 
52-56 

52-56 

Vol. 

1/13 

56 

Vol. 

II/9 

11 

17 
18 

27 

15-23 

20 


16 
16 


14 
13 
25 
26 


25 
25 
25 
25 


28 


31 


Bi/!incfiQ_non9.tP£lttatns  -xC-Bc  fcripmria 

Conimo  ft  ocbiano  faldarc  turn  k  partite  oel  quadcmo  vccf?io:c  i  cl3i:c  per  cf?cc  oc  h  fij 

mafumaruin  nclrare  eoclaiicrculrimofcontrooclbilana'o.  oa''.;4 

i:>el  inodo  e  o:dic  a  fapcr  tencre  Ic  fcnpturc  menutc  como  fono  rcripnoc  manolrc  familia 

ri politic: ^clTiTcntcfie  calmifhunicricjxl  rtgiftrooc  Icletrerc ipo:tan.  ca".;j 

£pilogo  0  ucro  fumaria  rccolta  dc  tuttocl  p^cfcntc  tractaro;aaocon  b:cue  fubftatia  fc  ba 

bia  mandarc  a  m€mo2i3  Ic  cofc  octtc.  ca"*.  i6 

Oillmcrio.iionfl.'itractatua.rr.pticularis  t>c  coputia  t  fcriprun'e. 

be  quelle  cofc  cbe  fono  necclTarie  a\  uero  n1erca^alue:c  ve  lo.'dmc  a  Tape  be  tcncrc  vn  q/ 

derno  c6  fuo  gioznalc  i  rinc^ia  e  anclx  p  ognalrro  (uogo.  £jpirolo  p?uno. 

'|rcucrcnri(ubditio£.U.&.S^.On>35nanimo.C>.acio  a  picno 
DC  turtolozdine  mcrcanrcfco  babi'no  el  bifoguo'.oelfPCTai.CoIr'. 
lccofcoman^cfqftanfaoqamttc)3nco23  parricular  tractsto 
grandemere  necefTano  c6pillarc.£ in  qflo  folo \o  iferto:  g  c\x 
a  ogni  loro  occurrcca  cl  pfenre  libzo  li  pofla  fcruirc.  Si  oel  mo ; 
do  a  conn  e  fcriprure:c6mo  oe  ragioni.£  per  cITo  iiiteiido  oar/ 
li  nojma  fuffidenre  e  baftanre  in  rcnere  ordinatanicnre  rutri  lor 
conri  e  hbji.-j&cro  cbcCconio  ft  fa )trc  cofc  matime  fono  opor 
tunc:a  d?i  uole  con  Dcb'ta  oiligcfia  mercanrarc.5c  ie  qlilaporif 
fima  e  la  pecunia  numcrara  c  ogin'  altra  faculta  fu  ftantialc.Ju 
rta  illud  pl?y  vnii  aliquid  necefTano?!!  e  fubftanria-jSctia  cl  cui 
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fedclmetc  feruaroi  magne  ridxi^cc  fieno  pcruenutii£be  afaip  vtalia  oifcurrcdo  nabiamo 
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occur  Jcntie  trouare  fecondo  el  numcro  oe  fuoi  capitoli  e  carti. 

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33 


COMPLETE  TRANSLATION  OF  PACIOLI 


SECTION  NINE— TREATISE  XI. 


PARTICULARS   OP    RECKONINGS    AND    THEIR    RECORDING. 

CHAPTER  1. 

THINGS  THAT  ARE  NECESSARY  TO  THE  GOOD  xMERCHANT  AND  THE  METHOD  OF 
KEEPING  A  LEDGER  WITH  ITS  JOURNAL,  IN  VENICE  AND  ELSEWHERE. 

In  order  that  the  subjects  of  His  Illustrious  Highness,  the  most  honorable  and  magnanimous  Duke 
of  Urbino  (D.  U.  D.  S. — Docis  Urbini  Domini  Serenissimi) ,  may  have  all  the  rules  that  a  good  merchant 
needs,  I  decided  to  compile,  in  addition  to  the  subjects  already  treated  in  this  work,  a  special  treatise  which 
is  much  needed.  I  have  compiled  it  for  this  purpose  only,  i.  e.,  that  they  (the  subjects)  may  whenever 
necessary  find  in  it  everything  with  regard  to  accounts  and  their  keeping.  And  thereby  I  wish  to  give  them 
enough  rules  to  enable  them  to  keep  all  their  accounts  and  books  in  an  orderly  way.  For,  as  we  know, 
there  are  three  things  needed  by  any  one  who  wishes  to  carry  on  business  carefully.  The  most  impor- 
tant of  these  is  cash  or  any  equivalent,  according  to  that  saying,  Unum  nliquid  necessarium  est  substantia. 
Without  this,  business  can  hardly  be  carried  on. 

It  has  happened  that  many  without  capital  of  their  own  but  whose  credit  was  good,  carried  on  big 
transactions  and  by  means  of  their  credit,  which  they  faithfully  kept,  became  very  wealthy.  We  became 
acquainted  with  many  of  these  throughout  Italy.  In  the  great  republics  nothing  was  considered  superior 
to  the  word  of  the  good  merchant,  and  oaths  were  taken  on  the  word  of  a  good  merchant.  On  this  confi- 
dence rested  the  faith  they  had  in  the  trustworthiness  of  an  upright  merchant.  And  this  is  not  strange, 
because,  according  to  the  Christian  religion,  we  are  saved  by  faith,  and  without  it  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God. 

The  second  thing  necessary  in  business  is  to  be  a  good  bookkeeper  and  ready  mathematician.  To  be- 
come such  we  have  given  above  (in  the  foregoing  sections  of  the  book)  the  rules  and  canons  necessary  to 
each  transaction,  so  that  any  diligent  reader  can  understand  it  all  by  himself.  If  one  has  not  understood 
this  first  part  well,  it  will  be  useless  for  him  to  read  the  following. 

The  third  and  last  thing  is  to  arrange  all  the  transactions  in  such  a  systematic  way  that  one  may 
understand  each  one  of  them  at  a  glance,  i.  e.,  by  the  debit  (debito — owed  to)  and  credit  (en dito— owed 
by)  method.  This  is  very  essential  to  merchants,  because,  without  making  the  entries  .systematically  it  would 
be  impossible  to  conduct  their  business,  for  they  would  have  no  rest  and  their  minds  would  always  be  trou- 
bled. For  this  purpose  I  have  written  this  treatise,  in  which,  step  by  step,  the  method  is  given  of  making  all 
sorts  of  entries.  Although  one  cannot  write  out  every  essential  detail  for  all  cases,  nevertheless  a  careful 
mind  will  be  able,  from  what  is  given,  to  make  the  application  to  any  particular  case. 

This  treatise  ^dll  adopt  tlie  system  used  in  Venice,  which  is  certainly  to  be  recommended  above  all  the 
others,  for  by  means  of  this,  one  can  find  his  way  in  any  other.  We  shall  divide  this  treatise  in  two  prin- 
cipal parts.  The  one  we  shall  call  the  Inventory,  and  the  other.  Disposition  (arrangement).  We  shaU 
talk  first  of  the  one  and  then  of  the  other,  according  to  the  order  contained  in  the  accompanying  Table  of 
Contents,  from  which  the  reader  may  take  what  he  needs  in  his  special  ease. 

He  who  wants  to  know  how  to  keep  a  ledger  and  its  journal  in  due  order  must  pay  strict  attention 
to  what  I  shall  say.  To  understand  the  procedure  well,  we  will  take  the  ease  of  one  who  is  just  starting  in 
business,  and  tell  how  he  must  proceed  in  keeping  his  accounts  and  books  so  that  at  a  glance  he  may  find 
each  thing  in  its  place.  For,  if  he  does  not  put  each  thing  in  its  own  place,  he  will  find  himself  in  great 
trouble  and  confusion  as  to  all  his  affairs,  according  to  the  familiar  saying,  Ubi  non  est  ordo.  ibi  est  confusio 
(Where  there  is  no  order,  there  is  confusion).  In  order  to  give  a  perfect  model  to  every  merchant,  we  will 
divide  the  whole  system,  as  we  have  .said,  in  two  principal  parts,  and  we  will  arrange  these  so  clearly  that 
one  can  get  good  results  from  them.     First,  we  will  describe  wliat  the  inventory  is  and  how  to  make  it. 

CHAPTER  2. 

FIRST  PART  OF  THIS  TREATISE,  WHICH  IS  CALLED  INVENTORY— WHAT  INVENTORY 
IS,  AND  HOW  TO  MAKE  IT. 

First,  we  must  assume  that  every  action  is  determined  by  the  end  in  view,  and  in  order  to  pursue  this 
end  properly,  we  must  u.se  everj^  effort.  The  purpose  of  every  merchant  is  to  make  a  lawful  and  reasonable 
profit  so  as  to  keep  up  his  business.  Therefore,  the  merchants  should  begin  their  business  with  the  name 
of  God  at  the  beginning  of  every  book  and  have  His  holy 

NOTE — The  words  in  parentheses  are  the  author's,  as  also  the  punctuation  and  paragraphing,  as  the 
original  is  extremely  deficient  in  these.     The  words  in  italics  are  copied  exact  from  the  original. 

33 


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84 


name  in  their  minds.  To  begin  with,  the  merchant  must  make  his  inventory  {invcntario)  in  this  way:  He 
must  always  put  down  on  a  sheet  of  paper  or  in  a  separate  book  whatever  he  has  in  this  world,  personal 
property  or  real  estate,  beginning  with  the  things  that  are  most  valuable  and  most  likely  to  be  lost,  such 
as  cash,  jewels,  silver,  etc.,  for  the  real  estate,  such  as  houses,  lands,  lakes,  meadows,  ponds,  etc.,  cannot  be 
lost  as  personal  property.  Then  all  the  other  things  must  be  put  down  one  after  another.  In  the  said  in- ' 
ventory  give  always  first  the  day,  the  year,  the  place  and  your  name.  This  whole  inventory  must  be  com- 
pleted in  one  day,  otlierwise  there  will  be  trouble  in  the  future  in  the  management  of  the  business. 

As  an  example  for  you,  I  will  give  you,  now,  an  idea  as  to  how  the  inventory  is  to  be  made,  so  that 
you  maj'  use  it  as  a  guide  in  any  particular  ease. 

CHAPTER  3. 

EXAMPLE  OP  AN  INVENTORY  WITH  ALL  ITS  FORMAL  REQUIREMENTS. 

In  the  name  of  God,  November  8th,  1493,  Venice. 

The  following  is  the  inventory  of  myself,  N.  N.,  of  Venice,  Street  of  the  Holy  Apostles. 

I  have  written  down  systematically,  or  had  written  by  Mr.  So-aud-So,  this  inventory  of  all  my  prop- 
erty, personal  and  real,  what  is  owed  to  me  (debiti),  and  what  is  owed  by  me  {crediti),  of  which  I  on  this 
said  day  find  myself  possessed  in  this  world. 

First  Item :  First  I  find  myself  possessed  in  cash,  in  gold  and  coin  of  so  many  ducats,  of  which  so 
many  are  Venetian,  and  so  many  gold  Hungarian ;  of  so  many  large  florins  made  up  of  Papal,  Siennese 
and  Florentine,  etc.  The  rest  consists  of  many  different  kinds  of  silver  and  copper  coins,  i.  <;.,  troni,  mar- 
celli,  papal  and  royal  carlini  and  Florentine  grossi,  and  Milanese  testoni,  etc. 

Second  Item:  I  also  possess,  in  set  and  unset  jewels,  so-and-so  many  pieces,  among  which  are  many 
balassi  set  in  gold,  rings  weighing  so-and-so-many  oiuices,  carats,  grains,  etc.,  per  piece  or  in  bulk,  etc., 
which  you  can  express  in  any  manner  you  wish.  There  are  so-and-so-many  sapphires  set  on  clamps  for 
women ;  they  weigh  so  much.  And  there  are  so-and-so-many  rubies,  unset,  weighing  so  much.  Tlie  rest 
consists  of  unpolished  pointed  diamonds,  etc.  Here  you  may  give  such  descriptions  and  weight  as  you 
desire. 

Third  Item :  I  liave  clothes  of  many  kinds ;  so  many  of  such  kind ;  and  so  many  of  such-and-such  kind, 
etc.,  describing  their  condition,  colors,  linings,  styles,  etc. 

Fourth  Item :  I  have  several  kinds  of  silverware,  as  cups,  basins,  rammi,  cosileri,  piromi,  etc.  Here 
describe  aU  the  different  kinds  one  by  one,  etc.,  and  weigh  each  kind  diligently.  Keep  an  account  of  pieces 
and  weights,  and  of  the  alloy,  whether  the  Venetian  or  the  one  used  at  Ragusa,  etc.  Also  mention  the 
stamp  or  mark  that  they  might  have. 

Fifth  Item :  I  have  so  much  massaria  dei  lini — that  is,  bed  sheets,  table  cloths,  shirts,  liandkerchiefs, 
etc.,  so  many  of  each.  Of  the  bed  sheets,  so  many  are  made  three-piece  sheets,  and  so  many  are  three  and 
one-half,  etc.,  mentioning  whether  the  linen  is  Padua  linen  or  some  other  kind,  new  or  used ;  length  so  many 
braccia,  etc. ;  so  many  shirts,  etc. ;  table  cloths  of  so  many  threads ;  so  many  big  handkerchiefs  and  so  many 
small,  mentioning  whether  new  or  used,  giving  the  different  kind  in  your  own  way. 

Sixth  Item :  I  have  so  many  feather  beds  and  their  respective  pillows,  mentioning  whether  the  feath- 
ers are  new  or  used,  whether  the  pillow-cases  are  new  or  used,  etc.,  which  altogether  or  one  by  one  weigh 
so  much,  marked  with  my  mark  or  with  some  other  mark,  as  the  custom  is. 

Seventh  Item:  I  have  at  home  or  in  the  store  so  much  goods  of  different  kinds:  First,  so  many 
cases  of  ginger  niichino,  weighing  so  many  pounds,  marked  with  such-and-such  mark,  and  so  on,  describing 
each  kind  of  said  goods  with  all  their  marks  that  you  might  possibly  give  and  with  all  the  possible  accu- 
racy as  to  weight,  number,  measurement,  etc. 

Eighth  Item :  I  have  so  many  cases  of  ginger  bellidi,  etc.,  and  so  many  sacks  of  pepper,  long  pepper 
or  round  pepper,  depending  on  what  it  is ;  so  many  packages  of  cinnamon,  etc.,  that  weigh  so  much ;  so 
many  packages  of  cloves,  etc.,  that  weigh  so  much,  with  fusii  polverc  and  cappellrtti  or  without,  etc.,  and 
so  many  pieces  of  verzini  weighing  so  much,  and  so  much  sandalwood,  red  or  white,  weighing  so  much,  and 
so  on,  entering  one  item  after  another. 

Ninth  Item :  I  have  so  many  skins  for  coverings,  that  is,  so  many  white  kids  and  so  many  albertoni 
or  marchiani,  etc.,  so  many  of  such-and-such  kind,  etc.,  so  many  fox  skins,  so  many  tanned  and  so  many 
raw,  so  many  chamois  skins  tanned,  and  so  many  raw. 

Tenth  Item :  I  have  so  many  fine  skins,  fore  armenti,  dossi  varii,  zebelini,  etc.,  so  many  of  such-and- 
such  kind,  and  so  many  of  such-and-such  kind — defining  diligently  and  truthfully  each  time'  so  that  truth 
will  always  guide  you,  etc.,  distinguishing  the  things  that  ought  to  be  entered  by  pieces  from  those  that 
ought  to  be  entered  by  weight,  and  those  that  onglit  to  be  entered  by  mea.surcment,  because  in  these  three 
ways  business  is  conducted  everywhere ;  certain  things  are  reckoned  by  the  bu.shel,  others  by  the  hundreds, 
others  by  the  pound,  others  by  the  ounce,  others  by  number,  others  by  a  conio  (by  single  numbers)  as  leath- 
er goods  or  skins,  others  by  the  piece,  as  precious  stones  and  fine  pearls,  etc. ;  so  you  will  make  a  nota- 
tion of  each  thing.     These  examples  will  serve  as  a  guide  for  all  the  rest,  etc. 

Eleventh  Item :  I  have  in  real  estate :  first,  a  house  with  so  many  stories,  so  many  rooms,  court  yard, 
wells,  garden,  etc.,  situated  in  St.  Apostle  Street  over  the  Canal,  etc.,  adjoining  such-and-such  parties,  etc., 
giving  the  names  of  the  boundary  line  properties,  making  reference  to  the  oldest  and  most  reliable  deeds, 
if  there  are  anj' ;  and  so,  if  you  have  more  houses  in  different  localities,  you  will  enter  them  in  a  similar 
way. 

35 


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36 


Twelfth  Item :  1  have  so  many  pieces  of  land  under  cultivation  (fields  or  staiore  or  panora)  etc.,  enter- 
ing them  by  the  name  according  to  the  usage  of  the  country  wliere  you  are,  saying  where  they  are  situated, 
etc.,  as,  for  instance,  a  field  of  so  many  tavole,  or  canne,  or  pcrtichc,  or  bevolche,  etc.,  situated  in  such-and- 
such  town  in  the  Province  of  Padua  or  somewhere  else,  adjoining  the  land  of  so-and-so,  giving  all  the 
boundary  lines  and  referring  to  deeds  or  the  description  from  tlie  recorder's  office,  for  which  land  you 
pay  taxes  in  such-and-such  municipality,  which  are  worked  by  so-and-so  with  a  yearly  income  of  so  much, 
and  so  on;  you  will  enter  all  your  possessions,  etc.,  cattle,  etc. 

Thirteenth  Item:  I  have  in  deposit  with  the  Camera  de  I'lmpresti  (a  bank),  or  witli  another  bank 
in  Venice,  so  many  ducats;  or  with  the  parish  of  Cauareggio,  etc.,  or  part  in  one  parisli  and  part  in  another, 
giving  the  names  under  which  they  have  been  deposited,  mentioning  the  book  of  the  bank,  the  number 
of  the  page  where  your  account  is,  and  the  name  of  the  clerk  wlio  keeps  said  book,  so  that  you  can 
easily  find  your  account  when  you  go  to  get  money,  because  in  sticli  offices  they  nuist  keep  very  many  ac- 
counts on  account  of  the  big  crowd  that  sometimes  goes  there,  and  you  must  also  .see  that  dates  are  put  down 
precisely  so  that  you  know  when  everything  falls  due  and  what  the  per  cent.  is. 

Fourteenth  Item:  I  have  so  many  debtors  (dcbitort)  -.  one  is  so-and-so,  who  owes  me  {me  dec  dare — 
shall  give  me)  so  many  ducats,  and  so  on,  giving  the  names  of  each  one,  putting  down  all  annotations  as 
to  the  names,  their  family  names,  and  how  much  they  owe  you  (tc  drbbono  dore — shall  have  to  give  you) 
and  why ;  also  whether  there  ai"e  any  written  papers  or  notarial  instruments.  In  total  I  have  so  many 
ducats  to  collect,  you  will  say,  of  good  money,  if  the  money  is  due  from  good  people,  otherwise  you  will 
say  of  bad  money. 

Fifteenth  Item :  I  am  debtor  in  total  to  the  extent  of  so  many  ducats,  etc.  I  owe  so  many  to  so-and- 
so.  Here  mention  your  creditors  (creditori)  one  by  one,  writing  down  whether  there  are  any  documents  or 
writings  or  instruments;  if  possible,  mention  the  persons  present  when  the  debt  was  incurred,  the  reason, 
the  time  and  the  place,  for  any  case  that  might  arise  in  court  or  out  of  court. 

CHAPTER  4. 
VERY  USEFUL  ADMONITION  AND  GOOD  ADVICE  TO  THE  GOOD  MERCHANT. 

And  so,  as  we  have  said,  you  shall  enter  diligently  every  thing  that  you  have,  whether  personal  prop- 
erty or  real  estate,  one  by  one,  even  if  there  were  ten  thousand  items,  putting  down  the  condition  and 
nature,  whether  deposited  or  loaned,  etc.  You  will  have  to  mention  each  thing  in  proper  order  in  the  said 
Inventory  with  all  marks,  names,  surnames — as  far  as  possible — for  things  are  never  too  clear  to  a  mer- 
chant on  account  of  the  different  things  that  may  happen  in  business,  as  anybody  in  business  knows. 
Right  is  the  proverb  which  says :  More  bridges  are  necessary  to  make  a  good  merchant  than  a  lawyer 
can  make.  Who  is  the  person  that  can  count  all  the  things  that  can  happen  to  a  merchant — on  the  sea, 
on  land,  in  times  of  peace  and  abundance  and  times  of  war  and  famine,  in  times  of  health  or  pestilence  ? 
In  these  crises  he  must  know  what  to  do,  in  the  marketplaces  and  in  the  fairs  which  are  held  now  in  one  place 
and  now  in  another.  For  this  reason  it  is  right  to  say  that  the  merchant  is  like  a  rooster,  which  of  all  the 
animals  {animale)  is  the  most  alert  and  in  winter  and  summer  keeps  his  night  vigils  and  never  rests.  And 
they  say  of  the  nightingale  that  it  sings  throughout  the  whole  night ;  however,  this  may  be  in  the  summer 
during  the  hot  weather,  but  not  during  the  winter,  as  experience  shows.  Also  it  is  said  that  the  head  of  the 
merchant  has  a  hundred  eyes,  and  still  they  are  not  sufficient  for  all  he  has  to  say  or  to  do.  These  things  are 
told  by  people  who  have  had  experience  in  them,  such  as  the  Venetians,  Florentines,  Genoans,  Neapoli- 
tans, Milanese,  people  of  Ancona,  Brescia,  Bragama,  Aquila,  Sienna,  Lucca,  Perugia,  Urbino,  Forosempro- 
nio,  Cagli,  Ugubio,  Castello,  Brogo,  Fuligno,  Pisa,  Bologna,  P>rrara,  Mantua,  Verona,  Vincenza,  Padua, 
Trani,  Lecce,  Bitonto,  which  are  among  the  first  cities  of  Italy  and  have  the  first  place  in  commerce — espe- 
cially the  cities  of  Venice  and  Florence,  wliich  adopt  rules  that  respond  to  any  need.  And  well  say  the 
municipal  laws:  Vigilantibus  et  non  dormifntibus  jura  subveniunt — which  means,  The  law  helps  those 
that  are  awake,  not  those  that  sleep.  So  in  the  divine  functions  of  the  Holy  Church  they  sing  that  God 
promised  the  crown  to  the  watchful  ones,  and  this  was  the  instruction  that  Virgil  gave  to  Dante  as  to  his 
son,  in  Canto  24  of  the  Inferno,  where  he  exhorts  him  to  the  work  by  which  one  can  reach  the  hill  of 
virtue :  Now,  my  son,  it  behooves  that  you  quit  your  laziness,  said  my  master,  for  he  who  lies  on 
feathers  or  under  covei's  will  never  amount  to  anything.  Whoever  spends  his  life  in  this  way,  he  said, 
will  leave  on  this  earth  the  same  trace  as  the  smoke  in  the  air  or  foam  on  the  water,  etc. ;  and  another 
Italian  poet  admonishes  us  in  the  same  way,  saying:  Work  should  not  seem  to  you  strange,  for  Mars 
never  granted  a  victory  to  those  that  spent  their  time  resting.  And  it  is  also  very  good  to  quote  that 
sage  who  said  to  the  lazy  man  to  take  the  ant  as  an  example ;  and  the  Apostle  Paul  says  tliat  no  one  will 
be  worthy  of  the  crown  except  he  who  shall  fight  valiantly  for  it. 

I  wanted  to  bring  in  these  reminders  for  .your  own  good,  so  that  the  daily  care  about  your  business 
would  not  seem  heavy  to  you,  especially  the  writing  down  everything  and  putting  down  everj'  day  every- 
thing that  happens  to  you,  as  we  shall  unfold  in  the  next  eliapters.  But  above  all,  remember  God  and  your 
neighbor;  never  forget  to  attend  to  religious  meditation  every  morning,  for  through  this  you  will  never  lose 
your  way,  and  by  being  charitable,  you  will  not  lose  your  riches,  as  the  poet  says:  Nrc  caritas,  ncc  Missa 
minuii  iter,  etc.  And  to  this  our  Savior  exhorts  us  in  the  book  of  St.  Matthew,  when  he  says :  Primum 
qiiaerite  regulum  dci,  et  hare  omnia  adiicietur  vobis,  which  means:  Seek  you.  Christians,  first  the  king- 
dom of  God  and  then  the  other  temporal  and  spiritual  things 


87 


BWnctfb  noiia  SractJf  u«.ri*,©f  fcripmrie  200 

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dK  (cfiuc.circfl s^ traftcoif dc Ii^libji pjtci'pah' ccl co?p6 mccatefco.  c".? 

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fufeqiicremcre  oe lialmcoioclo:  modi: ucrfic vie eomo wbiano clTcrc teniirt. £ p:ima oa/ 
rcmofuaortfinitionc. 

be  I  pjimollbfo  ritto  memo?wIeo  vcroFquartafoglio  0  vacbcfta  ql  cIjc  fcnren 
dgccommoin  elTo  fe  babia  a  fcriuere:e  p  cfjf.  ea"  6 

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38 


you  will  easily  obtain,  because  your  Heavenly  Father  kuowe  very  well  your  needs,  etc. 

And  this  I  hope  will  be  sulBeient  as  an  instruction  for  you  to  make  the  Inventory,  etc.,  and  to  do 
other  things  well. 

CHAPTER  5. 

SECOND  PRINCIPAL  PART  OP  THIS  TREATISE  NAMED  DISPOSITION  (ARRANGE- 
MENT)—WHAT  IS  UNDERSTOOD  BY  IT— WHAT  IT  CONSISTS  OF  IN  BUSINESS,  AND  THE 
THREE  PRINCIPAL  BOOKS  OP  THE  MERCHANT. 

Comes  now  the  second  principal  part  of  this  treatise,  which  is  called  disposition,  and  of  this  I  have 
to  talk  more  at  length  than  of  the  first  part,  in  order  to  make  it  very  clear.  I  will  divide  it  in  two  parts. 
We  shall  call  the  one,  Corpo  ovcro  monte  de  sutto  el  trafico;  the  other,  Corpor  overo  monte  de  iotega  (Com- 
merce in  general,  and  Your  store  in  particular) . 

First,  we  shall  speak  of  commerce  in  general  and  its  requirements.  Immediately  after  the  Inventory, 
you  need  three  books  to  make  the  work  proper  and  easy.  One  is  called  Memorandum  (Memoriale),  the 
second  Journal  (Giornalc),  and  the  third  Ledger  (Quadcrno).  Many,  on  account  of  their  small  business, 
use  only  the  last  two,  that  is,  the  journal  and  the  ledger. 

We  shall  speak  about  the  first — that  is,  of  the  memorandum  book,  and  thereafter  of  the  other  two,  about 
their  makeup,  and  how  they  should  be  kept.  First  of  all,  we  will  give  the  definition  of  the  memorandum 
book. 

CHAPTER  6. 

OP  THE  FIRST  BOOK,  WPIICH  IS  CALLED  MEMORANDUM  BOOK  (MEMORIALE),  OR 
SCRAP  BOOK  [SQUARTA  L06LI0),  OR  BLOTTER  (VACHETTA).  WHAT  IS  UNDERSTOOD 
BY  IT  AND  HOW  ENTRIES  SHOULD  BE  MADE  IN  IT  AND  BY  WHOM. 

The  memorandum  book,  or,  according  to  others,  scrap  book  or  blotter,  is  a  book  in  which  the  mer- 
chant shall  put  down  all  his  transactions,  small  or  big,  as  they  take  place,  day  by  day,  hour  by  hour.  In 
this  book  he  will  put  down  in  detail  everything  that  he  sells  or  buys,  and  every  other  transaction  without 
leaving  out  a  jot ;  who,  what,  when,  where,  mentioning  everything  to  make  it  fully  as  clear  as  I  have 
already  said  in  talking  about  the  Inventory,  so  that  there  is  no  necessity  of  saying  it  over  again  in  detail. 
Manj'  are  accustomed  to  enter  their  inventory  in  this  book,  but  it  is  not  wise  to  let  people  see  and  know 
what  you  possess.  It  is  not  wise  to  enter  all  your  personal  property  and  real  property  in  this  book.  This 
book  is  kept  on  account  of  volume  of  business,  and  in  it  entries  should  be  made  in  the  absence  of  the  owner 
by  his  servants,  or  his  women  if  there  are  any,  for  a  big  merchant  never  keeps  his  assistants  idle ;  they  are 
now  here,  now  there,  and  at  times  both  he  and  they  are  out,  some  at  the  market  place  and  some  attend- 
ing a  fair,  leaving  perhaps  at  home  only  the  servants  or  the  women  who,  perhaps,  can  barely  write.  These 
latter,  in  order  not  to  send  customers  away,  must  sell,  collect  or  bu.y,  according  to  the  orders  left  by  the 
boss  or  owner,  and  they,  as  well  as  they  can,  must  enter  every  transaction  in  this  memorandum  book, 
naming  simply  the  money  and  weights  which  they  know;  they  should  note  the  various  kinds  of  money 
that  they  may  collect  or  take  in  or  that  they  maj'  give  in  exchange.  As  far  as  this  book  is  concerned,  it 
is  not  as  important  to  transfer  to  standards  the  various  kinds  of  coin  handled  as  it  is  with  the  journal  and 
ledger,  as  we  will  see  hereafter. 

The  bookkeeper  will  put  everything  in  order  before  he  transcribes  a  transaction  in  the  journal.  In 
this  way,  when  the  o^^^lle^  comes  back  he  will  see  all  the  transactions,  and  he  may  put  them  in  a  better  or- 
der if  he  thinks  necessary.  Therefore,  this  book  is  very  necessary  to  those  who  have  a  big  business.  It 
would  be  too  much  trouble  to  put  down  in  a  beautiful  and  orderly  way  every  transaction  immediately 
after  it  take  place,  in  books  whicli  are  authentic  and  kepi  neat  with  care.  You  must  make  a  mark  on 
the  cover  of  this  book,  as  well  as  on  all  the  others,  so  that  you  can  distinguish  them  when,  in  the  process 
of  the  business,  the  book  is  filled  or  has  served  for  a  certain  period  of  time  and  you  take  another  book. 
You  must  take  another  book  when  the  first  one  has  been  used  entirely,  yet  many  are  accu.stomed  in  differ- 
ent localities  to  balance  annually  these  books  althoiigli  they  are  not  full ;  and  they  do  likewise  with  the 
other  books  not  yet  mentioned,  as  you  will  se(^  hereafter. 

On  the  second  book  you  should  put  another  mark  different  from  the  first,  so  that  at  anj'  time  you  can 
trace  your  transaction  easily.  For  this  purpose  we  use  the  date.  Among  true  Chri-stians  there  is  the  good 
custom  to  mark  their  first  books  with  that  glorious  sign  from  which  every  enemy  of  the  spiritual  flees  and 
before  which  all  tlie  infernal  spirits  justly  tremble — that  is,  the  holy  cross,  by  which  in  our  tender  years 
we  begin  to  learn  to  read.  The  books  that  follow,  you  may  mark  in  alphabetical  order,  calling  A  the  .sec- 
ond, and  B  the  third,  etc.  So  tliat  we  call  the  first  books  with  the  Cross,  or  Memorandum  with  Cro.ss,  and 
the  second  Memorandum  A,  Journal  A,  Ledger  A.  The  pages  of  each  of  these  books  ought  to  be  marked 
for  several  reasons  known  to  the  merchant,  although  many  say  that  this  is  not  necessary  for  the  Journal 
and  Memorandum  books.  The  transactions  are  entered  day  by  day,  one  under  the  other,  in  such  way  tliat 
it  may  be  easy  to  trace  them.  This  would  be  all  right  if  all  the  transactions  of  one  day  would  not  take 
more  than  one  page ;  but,  as  we  have  seen,  for  many  of  the  bigger  merchants,  not  one,  but  several  pages 
have  to  be  used  in  one  day.  If  some  one  would  wish  to  do  something  crooked,  he  could  tear  out  one  of  the 
pages  and  this  fraud  could  not  be  discovered,  as  far  as  the  dates  are  concerned,  for  the  days  would 


SO 


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Ipiuolenolfcoencccdita  atcmpoficomprono.  ca*-? 

l^oi  cbe  3lcomp7ar<fianio  notadxqudloibc  ru  compel  poacadf  re  coinuuQ' 
m  cT)re  i. 9.111  odrctoc  a  oenaricontant  i.o  ucro  a  tcrnunc.o  vcro  ainuonrro  dar 
robba-Qualcfiocdmunamentceditiobwafto-o  ucroapreo-c  parrc  rcrmico 
vcro  a  parte  com Jti  c  parte  rotibc.o  ucro  a  pic  robbe.e  pre  tcrminc  o  vcro  p  afc 
gnationc  dc  ditta.o  ucro  parte  i  oitta  c  pte  termie  a  ic.o  ucroptc  oiita  e  pane  roW^a  l^l"  1> 
qli  •9.modt  cl  piu  de  leaoltc  fe  coftunia  comp?are.£  fe  per  altro  uerfo  facdic  m  ucllit.T.i  c^l 


40 


follow  properly  one  after  the  other,  and  yet  the  fraud  may  have  been  committed.  Therefore,  for  this  and 
other  reasons,  it  is  always  good  to  number  and  mark  each  single  page  in  all  the  books  of  the  merchants ;  the 
books  kept  in  the  house  or  kept  in  the  store. 

CHAPTER  7. 

OF  THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH  IN  MANY  PLACES  MERCANTILE  BOOKS  ARE  AUTHEN- 
TICATED, WHY  AND  BY  WHOM. 

All  these  books,  according  to  the  good  customs  of  several  countries  where  1  have  been,  should  be  taken 
and  shown  to  a  certain  mercantile  officer  such  as  the  Consuls  in  the  City  of  Perosa  employ,  and  to  him 
you  should  state  that  those  are  the  books  in  which  you  intend  to  write  down,  or  somebody  else  write  down 
for  you,  all  your  transactions  in  an  orderly  way ;  and  also  state  in  what  kind  of  money  the  transactions 
therein  should  be  entered — that  is,  whether  in  lire  di  Picioli,  or  in  lire  di  Grossi,  or  in  ducats  and  lire, 
etc.,  or  in  jlorins  and  denari,  or  in  ounces,  tari,  grani,  denari,  etc.  The  good  mcrcliant  should  put  down 
these  things  always  on  the  first  page  of  his  book,  and  if  afterwards  the  handwriting  should  be  done  by 
somebody  else  than  the  one  stated  at  the  begiiuiing  of  the  book,  this  should  be  recorded  at  the  office  of  the 
said  officer.  The  clerk  should  mention  all  this  in  the  records  of  the  said  officer — that  is,  on  such  and  such 
a  day  you  presented  such  and  such  books,  marked  with  such  and  such  mark,  which  books  are  named,  one 
so-and-so,  the  other  so-and-so,  etc. ;  of  wliich  books  one  has  so  many  pages,  another  so  many,  etc.,  which 
books  you  said  would  be  kept  by  you  or  by  so-and-so ;  but  that  it  may  be  that  in  said  Memorandum  Book  or 
Scrap  Book  or  Blotter,  some  person  of  your  family  might  enter  said  transaction,  as  explained  before.  In 
this  ease,  the  said  clerk  shall  write  down  on  the  first  page  of  your  books,  in  his  own  handwriting,  the  name 
of  the  said  officer,  and  will  attest  to  the  truth  of  everything  and  shall  attach  the  seal  of  that  office  to  make 
the  books  authentic  for  any  case  in  court  when  they  might  be  produced. 

This  custom  ought  to  be  commended  exceedingly ;  also  the  places  where  the  custom  is  followed.  Many 
keep  their  books  in  duplicate.  They  show  one  to  the  buyer  and  one  to  the  seller,  and  this  is  very  bad,  be- 
cause in  this  way  they  commit  perjury.  By  presenting  books  to  the  said  officer,  one  cannot  easily  lie  or 
defraud.  These  books,  after  thej'  have  been  carefully  marked  and  authenticated,  shall  be  kept  in  the  name 
of  God  in  your  own  place,  and  you  are  then  ready  to  start  your  business.  But  fiirst  you  shall  enter  in  an 
orderly  way  in  your  Jom'nal  all  the  different  items  of  the  Inventory  in  the  way  that  I  will  tell  you  later. 
But  first  you  must  understand  how  entries  should  be  made  in  this  Memorandum  Book. 

CHAPTER  8. 

HOW  ENTRIES  SHOULD  BE  MADE  IN  THE  SAID  MEMORANDUM  BOOK,  AND  EXAM- 
PLES OF  THE  SAME. 

We  have  said  already,  if  you  will  remember,  that  any  one  in  your  family  can  make  entries  in  the 
said  Memorandum  Book,  or  Scrap  Book  or  Blotter.  Therefore,  it  cannot  be  fully  stated  how  the  entries 
should  be  made,  because  some  members  of  your  family  will  understand  and  some  will  not.  But  the  com- 
mon custom  is  this :  Let  us  say,  for  instance,  that  you  bought  several  pieces  of  cloth — for  instance,  20 
white  bresciuni,  at  12  ducats  apiece.  It  will  be  enough  simply  to  make  the  entry  in  this  way:  On  this 
day  we  have  or  I  have  bought  from  Mr.  Filippo  d'Rufoni  of  Brescia,  20  pieces  of  white  hresciani.  These 
goods  are  at  Mr.  Stefauo  Tagliapietra  's  place ;  one  piece  is  so  long,  according  to  tjie  agreement,  and  paid 
for  at  so  many  ducats,  etc.,  marked  with  such  and  such  number,  etc.  You  mention  whether  the  cloth  is 
a  trelici,  or  a  la  piana,  wide  or  narrow,  fine  or  medium,  whetlier  the  Bergamo  kind,  or  Vincenza,  or 
Verona,  or  Padua,  or  Florence,  or  Mantua.  Also  you  have  to  state  here  whether  the  transaction  was  made 
through  a  broker  and  whether  it  was  made  in  cash  entirely  or  part  only  in  cash  and  part  on  time,  stating 
the  time,  or  whether  it  was  part  in  cash  and  part  in  trade.  In  this  ease  you  must  specify  the  things  that 
were  given  in  exchange,  number,  weight,  measurement,  and  the  price  of  the  bushel  or  of  the  piece,  or  of 
the  pound,  etc.,  or  whether  the  transaction  was  all  by  payment  on  time,  stating  the  time  when  the  payment 
should  be  made,  whether  on  Galia  de  Barutto,  or  on  Oalia  de  Fiandra,  or  on  the  return  day  of  a  ship,  or  on 
the  date  of  some  fair,  or  other  festivity,  as  for  instance,  on  the  next  liarvest  day  or  on  next  Easter,  or  on 
next  Christmas,  or  on  Resurrection  day  or  Carnival  day,  etc.,  according  to  what  was  understood  in  the 
transaction.  Finally,  I  must  say  that  in  this  memorandum  book  nothing  should  be  omitted.  If  it  were  pos- 
sible, it  should  be  noted  what  many  others  had  said  during  the  transaction  because,  as  we  have  said  about 
the  Inventory,  the  merchant  never  can  be  too  plain. 

CHAPTER  9. 

OF  NINE  WAYS  IN  WHICH  THE  MERCHANT  USUALLY  BUYS,  AND  THE  GOODS  WHICH 
IT  IS  MORE  OR  LESS  NECESSARY  TO  BUY  ON  TIME. 

Since  we  are  talking  about  buying,  you  must  know  that  usually  you  can  make  your  purchase  in  nine 
ways — that  is :  either  in  cash  or  on  time ;  or  by  exchanging  something,  which  is  usually  called  a  trade ; 
or  partly  in  cash  and  partly  on  time  -  or  partly  in  cash  and  partly  by  trading  and  partly  on  time ;  or  by 
draft  {assegnatione  de  ditto)  ;  or  partly  by  draft  and  partly  on  time,  or  partly  by  draft  and  partly  by  trad- 
ing. In  these  nine  ways  it  is  customary  to  make  purchases.  If  you  wo\dd  make  your  purchases  in  some 
other  way 


41 


Bidindonoru.Zricatu^.ri'.Srfcrfpfttria  io» 

modopiopiiais  cbc  tu  c  gliaUri  pa  k  ncl  nicmoaalc  U  n  jm  apoiuo  con  um'ra  c  f  jrai  be 
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jsuri.£)  vtro  biack.vim.fali  £  curami  oalxcari.it  k^n^x  U  obUgn  «Juenclita:e.al  cdp.'j 
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cl  bon  quadcrmeri.i  capo  oc.  4.0.^.0  Pcro.8i5»o:Hi.i!i»m  e  nianco  clx  itclTe  ocl  outo  memo 
nalc  nietarle  m  gwrnalca  cU  per  oi  tuttc  cominc  le  Ibnno  njkiute.  Of>i  loto  in  qiicito  oitfc 
reiuc.clx  non  bilogna  dx  in  oino  gio.'nalc  Ic  oiltciidj.i.on  tantc  f  tlaltoccl?  oc  paroUccoin 
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altra  inciue.l&cro  dx  tu  per  le  babundo  qnelta  fo/ma  oc  compa:arc.po.Tai  a  If  tarlo  7c. 

i^elfolib2op?indpalemcrcamclco.oifiogio7nalc:quclcbel (la.ecommefc ocbia  oifpo' 
ncrc  o:dinatamente.  £ap<toIo        1  o 

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duna  carta:re  ocue  mcttcrc  d  Of^ilcfiiiio.c  cn.£  oipoi  oemano  m  mano  poiierc 
pjiina  Ic  parnte  ruttc  ocl  tuo  cuentano.jOd  qual  gio^nalc:  per  cikre  tuo  lib:o  leireto)po2 
rai  0  pieno  narrarc  e  oirc  turto  qudlo  clx  01  mobile  c  Itabile  le  1  itroui.  ll\cfcreiidoic  leprc 
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cremplo.flDa  pnina  e  oanopredbifogno  01  ooiicrimuiclx  in  otno  giomale  licoftuiiia 
vfarc.nda  eita  marime  crcelfa  dc  Uiiugia.Di  qualli  immediate  oiremo. 

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10  B.equdloclxpalojorcbabiaaoenotarc.  £apuolo.     11. 

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£laliroe  ditto.  B.  liqlibanolorofignifiLaiicialcunofcparato.-i&er  lo.  i^er. 
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creditore.o  moo  piu  dx  fe  ficno.£  mat  fi  mette  ^tita  ordinaria  i  gioriialeC  clx 
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n  £  qudlo  dx  per  clfi le  babia  inrendcre.  £apftolo.     1 :. 

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pcuc  mcttcrc  c  dittarc  in  qucfto  modo.  vj.  *  f> 


i 


42 


you  must  state  in  your  raemorandum  book  with  precision  the  way  that  you  have  made  the  purchase,  or  have 
somebody  else  do  it  for  you,  and  you  will  do  well. 

You  buy  ou  time  usually  when  you  buy  guati  or  oats,  wines,  salt,  remnants  from  a  butcher  shop,  and 
fats.  In  these  eases,  the  seller  promises  to  the  buyer  to  give  all  the  yitati  that  he  will  have  in  that  season.  ' 
The  butcher  will  sell  you  antl  promises  to  give  you  all  the  hearts,  skins,  fat,  etc.,  tliat  lie  will  have  during 
that  year.  This  kind  for  so  much  a  pound,  tliat  kind  for  so  much  a  pound,  etc.,  and  siiuilarlj'  for  the  fat 
of  beef,  of  mutton,  etc. ;  the  bhick  skins  of  mutton  at  so  mueli  apiece ;  and  the  white  mutton  skins,  etc.,  and 
so  with  the  oats,  or  guati;  you  must  specify  the  price  for  each  bushel  or  other  measure  and  the  kind  of  oats 
as  is  the  custom  at  Chiusi  de  Perugia.  In  bujang  guati  you  must  see  whether  they  are  of  our  city  San  Se- 
polcro,  or  Mercatello,  or  Sant'  Angelo,  or  Citta  de  Costello,  or  Forli,  etc. 

In  this  memorandum  book,  wliether  kept  by  you  or  by  otliers,  you  must  mention  every  single  point. 
You  state  tlie  things  in  a  simple  way  as  they  happened,  and  then  the  skillful  bookkeeper,  after  four  or  five 
days,  or  eight  days,  may  enter  all  these  transactions  from  the  said  memorandiun  book  into  the  Journal,  day 
by  day;  with  this  difference,  though,  that  it  is  not  necessary  for  him  to  ]iut  down  in  the  Jouriud  all  the 
long  lines  of  words  that  were  used  in  the  memorandum  book,  because  it  is  sufficient  to  put  them  down  in 
an  abridged  way,  and  besides,  references  should  always  be  made  from  one  book  to  the  other.  Tliosi-  that 
are  used  to  keeping  these  three  books  in  the  way  we  have  said  never  must  enter  one  thing  in  Journal  if 
they  have  not  first  entered  it  in  the  memorandum  book.  This  will  be  enough  as  to  the  arrangement  of 
the  said  memorandum  book,  whether  it  is  kept  by  you  or  others.  Remember  that  there  are  as  many  waj's 
to  buy  as  to  sell ;  therefore,  I  need  not  explain  the  ways  of  .selling,  because  you  knowing  of  the  ways  of 
buying  can  understand  the  selling. 

CHAPTER  10. 

THE  SECOND  IMPORTANT  MERCANTILE  BOOK  WHICH  IS  CALLED  JOURNAL;  WHAT 
IT  IS,  AND  HOW  IT  SHOULD  BE  KEPT  IN  AN  ORDERLY  WAY. 

The  second  common  mercantile  book  is  called  the  Journal  {Giornah)  which,  as  we  have  said,  must 
have  the  same  mark  that  is  on  the  memorandum  book  and  the  pages  marked  as  we  have  said  in  talking  of 
the  memorandum  book. 

Always  at  the  beginning  of  each  page  you  must  put  down  the  date,  and  then,  one  after  another,  enter 
all  the  different  items  of  your  inventory. 

In  this  Journal,  which  is  your  private  book,  you  may  fully  state  all  that  you  own  in  personal  or  real 
property,  always  making  reference  to  the  inventory  papers  which  you  or  others  may  have  written  and 
which  are  kept  in  some  box,  or  chest,  or  fiha,  or  mazzo.  or  pouch,  as  is  customary  and  as  is  usually  done 
with  letters  and  other  instruments  of  writing. 

The  different  items  entered  in  the  said  Journal  ought  to  be  entered  there  in  a  neater  and  more  syste- 
matic way,  not  too  many  or  too  few  words,  as  I  will  show  in  the  few  following  examples.  But  first  of  all 
you  must  know  that  there  are  two  words  or  expressions  [termini)  necessary  in  the  keeping  of  a  Journal, 
used  according  to  the  custom  of  the  great  City  of  Venice,  and  of  these  I  will  now  speak. 

CHAPTER  11. 

THE  TWO  EXPRESSIONS  USED  IN  THE  JOURNAL,  ESPECIALLY  IN  VENICE.  THE  ONE 
CALLED  "PER,"  AND  THE  OTHER  "A,"  AND  WHAT  IS  UNDERSTOOD  BY  THEM. 

As  we  have  said,  there  are  two  expressions  (termini)  used  in  the  said  Journal ;  the  one  is  called  "per,'" 
and  the  other  is  called  "a,"  each  of  which  has  a  meaning  of  its  own.  "Per"  indicates  the  debtor  (dehifore) 
one  or  more  as  the  case  may  be,  and  "a,"  creditor  (creditore),  one  or  more  as  the  case  may  be.  Never  is 
any  item  entered  in  the  Journal  which  also  is  to  be  entered  in  the  Ledger,  without  preceding  it  by  one  of 
the  two  expressions.  At  the  begiiniing  of  each  entry,  we  always  provide  "per,"  because,  first,  the  debtor 
must  be  given,  and  immediately  after  the  creditor,  the  one  separated  from  the  other  by  two  little  slanting 
parallels  (virgolette) ,  thus,  //,  as  the  example  below  will  show. 

CHAPTER  12. 

HOW  THE  ENTRY  SHOULD  BE  MADE  INTO  THE  JOURNAL  BY  MEANS  OF  THE  DEBIT 
AND  THE  CREDIT,  WITH  MANY  EXAMPLES.  THE  TWO  OTHER  EXPRESSIONS  USED  IN 
THE  LEDGER,  THE  ONE  CALLED  "CASH,"  AND  THE  OTHER  "CAPITAL."  AND  WHAT 
SHOULD  BE  UNDERSTOOD  BY  THEM. 

With  the  name  of  God  you  shall  begin  to  enter  into  your  Journal  the  first  itt'ni  of  your  Inventory, 
that  is,  the  quantity  of  cash  that  you  possess,  and  in  order  to  know  liow  to  enter  this  Inventory  into  the 
Ledger  and  Journal,  you  must  make  use  of  the  two  other  expressions  {termini)  ;  the  one  called  "cash" 
(cassa)  and  the  other  "capital"  (cavednle).  By  cash  is  understood  your  property  or  pocketbook  (boracia: 
from  bursa,  or  bag)  ;  by  capital  is  understood  the  entire  amount  of  what  you  now  possess. 

This  capital  must  always  be  placed  as  creditor  (creditore)  in  all  the  pi'incipal  mercantile  Ledgers  and 
Journals  and  the  cash  always  debtor.  Never  at  any  time  in  the  management  of  your  business  may  cash  be 
creditor,  but  only  debtor  luiless  it  balances.  For  if,  in  balancing  your  book,  you  find  that  cash  is  in  the 
credit,  it  would  denote  a  mistake  in  the  book,  as  I  will  remind  you  hereafter  at  its  proper  place.  Now  this 
entry  ought  to  be  made  in  the  Journal,  and  ought  to  be  arranged  in  this  way : 

43 


©iftinctlo  nonfl.Zractetufl-ri'Be  fcnptioie 

trcaicox     2    3       ]l^crca(r3Dec6tanti.acaucdalDemitak7^.pcotannmf£rouoiqlIaalpmc.fr3  020cmo 

^         ncrt.arjcro  c  ramo  6  riuerfi  cogni.coc  age  i  lo  foglio  oclo  iuctario  pofto  i  cada.^c.  i  tmro 

^feofftfa  i« briM  mv^.'  ^-^w    2         ouc.tflri D02o.£  moticrc  ouc.tantival i  tuito  almodo nfovctwfano.a  ozo^ioc  a  grolli.i 4 

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Icrcacomo  co:ro. (ibalalll tamo. 7C.  £cofioiraioca'afcuiiafo2taJ'uopsio  cduno.nioii 

tanoin  tuttooucatitatitiTC.  vagh'ano.  ^  ,&  ^      <*    6    P 

£  I-»auedo  tu  nommato  vnauotta  cl  oi.£  ancoja  el  wbirozc.c  anco:3.el  acmox.no  trame 

(andofe  alrra  Dt(ra  poi  oirc.B  oi  oirto-iS^cr  oitro.£  a(  Ditto  -rcpcr  piu  twcuita.  y*. 

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pcfanointuttotantoTcval  .    ^    -  r^.     ,   .^         ^1,.  ^    ^ 

Defttni^ucdo.bene  oi  poto  f>  qftc  p:ime  j?nte  ogni  cola  coc  fdti  m  10  muctaao.  1»Qiiedeli 

tu  ptcvn<:oinunrigio.£faHoarfliro.piup2cftocbc  ma^ro^oeSfcriparc  cbc  vagljrw. 

2«.c  tu  Di'24.Tc.Bao  d?e  mcgtiotcbabwrcufcircelgujdagno.£cofioc  manoin  nmo 

po?rfll■tuttc^alcrccofc.con^llo^pcri^^evalutc.7C.        4".     , 

Jfecr  panm  dc  lana  dc  doITo:  BI  Dittop  vclte  tante  oi  t«l  colore  7C.£  a  tal  foggi'a  re  f ode ; 

rate  7c.vraie  0  vcro  noue  7c.3  mio  Doflb^o  vero  oe  la  mia  oona.o  uero  pe  figlioh  7cQQ>ct 

toi 

7C. 

^r  pan!  lini:  Bl  Ditto  jj  lendolii 

no  £  vag!iano.7C.  6*'  &  g    a 

l&er  Ictti"  DC  piuma:  31  Ditto  7c.gp»ume tatc  7c.£  qui  narra  commo  m  in  lo  iiiueniaric 
'  montanoovagUano,  7"'  i  g     P 

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V3gliano9comuncflima7c.DiJctanti7c.  i         p    5    p 

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ftaria  bcne.a  cauar  fo:a4  Diuerfc  Tone  7C.  £  tutte  Dittc  gtite  6  giomale  fcrerai  a  1  '.avna  u* 
rando  la  riga.-DC  q-to  oura  tua  fcnptura.  narrariua.  fin  al  tennine  cl?e  fi  tra  fo:a.  £1  niedc 
f  imo  modoYeruarai  ale  ptitc  Del  meinozialc  7eje  fo  cl>c  tu  dcI  memo2iaIc  njett3r.ii  i  gio2na 
fc.cofi  a  vna  a  viia.andarai  D^^ando  i  lo  raemoziale.con  vna  fola.riga.a  traucrfo  cofi--^  • 
cl^Df  notiara  qlfa  talc  prtta.eer  pofta  i  logioznalc  7c.£  fe  tu  noii  volclTi  trauerfare  la  j^ti'xo 
vn3 linea.e  tu  lici-iraula  pMfa  Del  p2icip7o  oela  ptit3.o  uero  lulriaxommo  al  capo  oi  qfta.^ 
fatto.O  vcrofi!ratetuwtcqlc&fllt''.fegno.talecbtu  ftcda-g  qllooiftaptitaecr  liato  mtf 
(a  {gt'o2na(e 7C.£ aucga S  tu  da  te  poffiufare  moiti  r«rij  e  Duicri'i termini  e  fegni.no  t«"Ric 
no  te  DdM'  fcp2c  ftudiaVc  oe  vfarc  licomuni.clx  p  li  aim  traf  icati  i  tal  paefe  ti  colhj  nu  oi  fa ' 
re.  iido non  pira  tu  fia  cifcrepantc  calufitaro  modomcrcatefco  7c. 

bel  ;''.evin.Mibr  prfcvpale  mercatefco.oetto  el  qderno  como  ocba  eer  fatto  e  ^I  fuoal/a 
beio  eomnto  fc  dc  bia  o:dJiiait.  vgnolo  c  Dopio.  Cap?  13.        £  polle  cbe  f  u  ba 

rai  o?dinatai^ete  nitte  le  tuoi  ptite  algio2nale4?oi  bifogna  c\x  di  qllo  Jc  caui.£  poetil«  in  lo 
^''.li'bio  Pitro  qderno  grade.£lql  conuniainctcifi  cothima  fare  oc  Doi  tare  carti  cbcl  gkwiia 
f  e.Jn  toqle  conuerra  e.cr  vno  ^Ifabeto.overo  "Kcj^tojio  ovoi  Dir  !£rouarcHo  k)  akuni.  a!  a 
fi02etina  kzticilo flrarro.jfdcl ql po22ait«ttiDebito2i.ccredif02i.  l&erle li'e cbecomcn^ano 
con  lo  n'.Dclc  fue  cam'.doc  qucllicl?e  coineiua  p.  a.  i.  3.7c.  if  relDopio  alfabeto.'£qp«fto 
fimilinctc  commo  fop2a  oicemo  conuie  cl3  fia  fegnatODcl  niedemo  legno  cbl  gio^naff  cmc 
inoyiale.T&olloui  el  n'.oele  fue  cajii.  £  D;fop23  i  niargiiie.Da  luna  bada  e  laln-a.  el  imlcfnio 
£in  la  p2ima.  fua  carta.Dcntro  po2rai  Dcbitrid  la  cflfla.  ficoinnio  ella  e  la  p\  ud  gioejTBlc 
cofi  oeuc  cere  p'.nd  qderno.  £  mtta  qlla  faciata.fi  lolluina  bfarla  ftare  per  oitta  colla.f  in 
Oar  ne  i  bauere  non  fiponc  altro.£  qtlo  p  cbc  la  calTa  Te  manegia  piu  clx  ptira  cPAo-a  cea 
P  02a.i  mater  e  cauar  Dinari.£  po  life  lalTa  el  capo largo.£  qfto  qderno coufeclx  (iz  ri^ 
Cato.De tate rigl)c.qptc dx  fo2te  inonete  volitrar  fo2(.!6c  trarai.  g: f  6  p.  f  «r3i'.4-ngl>c. 
e  oinagc  ale  §.faranc  vnaltra.p  metaruf  cl  n'.relc  carni  dc  Ic  ptitc  djc  ifiemi  vc  ojrc.  J2 1?*' 


44 


EXAMPLE  OF  MAKING  AN  ENTRy  IN  THE  JOURNAL. 
FIRST.     November  8,  MCCCCLXXXXIII  iu  Venice. 

Debit  1.      =  Per  cash  //  A — Capital  of  myself  so  and  so,  etc.     In  cash  I  have  at  present,  in  gold 

■S  and  coin,  silver  and  coppor  of  different  coinage  as  it  appears  in  the  first  slieet  of  tlie  In- 

Credit2.     ■!  ventory  in  cash,  etc.,  in  total  so  many  gold  ducats  and  so  many  silver  ducats.    All  this  is 

1  our  Venetian  money ;  that  is  counting  24  rjrossi  per  ducat  and  '62  picioli  per  groxso  in  gold 

J       is  worth:  L (Atre),S (Soldi),  G (Grossi),}' (I'ieioli). 

For  the  second  item  you  shall  say  this  way : 

SECOND.  Per  mounted  and  unmounted  precious  stones  of  several  kinds  //.  A  capital  ditto  for  so 
many  mounted  bclassi,  etc.,  weighing,  etc.,  and  so  many  sapphires,  etc.,  and  rubies  and  diamonds,  etc.,  as 
the  said  Inventory  sliows  to  which,  according  to  current  prices  I  give  these  values:  Bclansi  worth,  etc.; 
and  so  you  shall  state  a  price  for  each  kind  in  total  that  are  worth  so  many  ducats.    Their  value  is 

L ,  S ,  G ...,  P..^ 

After  you  have  once  named  the  day,  the  debtor  and  the  creditor,  you  may  say  for  brevity — if  you 
don't  make  any  other  entry  in  between;    On  the  day  ditto,  per  ditto,  //  a  ditto. 

THIRD.  Per  silver  //.  A  ditto — by  which  capital  is  understood — for  several  kinds  of  silver  which  at 
present  I  possess — that  is,  wash  basins  so  many,  so  many  coppers,  so  many  cups,  so  many  pirotii,  and  so 
many  cosilicr,  etc.,  weighing  in  total  so  much.    Their  value  is :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

You  shall  give  all  the  details  in  entering  these  items  for  everything  as  you  have  them  in  the  Inven- 
tory, giving  to  each  thing  a  customary  price.  Make  the  prices  rather  higher  than  lower;  for  instance,  if  it 
seems  to  you  that  they  are  worth  20,  you  put  down  24,  so  that  you  can  make  a  larger  profit;  and  so  you  will 
enter  everything,  putting  down  for  each  thing  its  weight,  number,  value,  etc. 

FOURTH.  Per  woolen  clothes  //.  A  ditto,  for  so  many  clothes  of  such  and  such  color,  etc.,  of  such 
and  such  style,  etc.,  lined,  etc.,  new  or  used,  etc.,  for  myself  or  for  my  wife  or  for  my  children,  I  give  the 
total  value,  according  to  the  current  price,  so  many  ducats.  And  for  cloaks,  so  many  of  such  and  such 
color,  etc.,  and  so  on,  for  all  the  other  clothes:  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

FIFTH.  Per  linen  //.  A  ditto,  for  so  many  bed  sheets,  etc.,  and  put  down  their  number  and  value 
as  the  Inventory  shows:  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

SIXTH.  Per  feather  beds  //.  A  ditto,  etc.,  for  so  many  feathers — and  here  put  down  all  that  the  In- 
ventory shows,  number  and  value :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

SEVENTH.  Per  ginger  //.  A  ditto,  for  so  many  packages,  etc.,  giving  all  the  details  that  are  con- 
tained in  the  Inventory,  number,  value,  according  to  common  prices,  etc.,  so  many  ducats: 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P.. 

In  this  way  you  can  continue  to  enter  all  the  other  items,  making  a  .separate  entry  for  each  different 
lot,  and  as  we  have  .said  before,  giving  the  current  prices,  number,  marks,  weights,  as  the  Inventory  shows. 
Indicate  only  one  kind  of  money,  to  which  you  reduce  the  estimated  values.  In  the  column  for  the 
amounts,  only  one  kind  of  money  should  appear,  as  it  would  not  hi-  ftrojicr  to  have  appear  in  this  column 
different  kinds  of  money. 

You  shall  close  each  entry  in  the  Journal  by  drawing  a  line  from  tli(;  end  of  the  last  word  of  your  de- 
scriptive narrative  (explanation)  up  to  the  column  of  thf  figures.  You  shall  do  the  same  in  thi;  memoran- 
dum book,  and  as  you  transfer  an  entry  into  the  Journal  from  the  memoranduin  book,  yon  shall  draw  a 
single  diagonal  line  (una  sola  riga  a  truvf-rao)  through  it  in  this  way  /:  this  will  show  that  this  item  has 
been  entered  (pasta)  in  the  Journal. 

If  you  should  not  draw  this  line  through  the  entry,  you  shall  cheek  off  ilanciurai)  the  first  letter  of 
the  beginning  of  the  entrj',  or  the  last  lettiT,  as  we  have  done  at  the  beginning  of  this ;  or  otherwise  you  shall 
use  some  other  sign  by  which  you  will  understand  that  the  said  item  has  been  transferred  into  the  Journal. 
Although  you  may  u.Sf;  many  various  and  divers  expressions  or  marks,  nevcrtheleas  you  nnist  try  to  use 
the  common  ones  which  are  used  by  the  other  merchants,  so  that  it  will  not  look  as  if  you  would  deviate 
from  the  usual  mercantile  custom. 

CHAPTER  13. 

THIRD  AND  LAST  PRINCIPAL  MERCANTILE  BOOK  CALLED  THE  LEDfiER.  HOW  IT 
IS  TO  BE  KEPT.  ITS  ALPHABET  riNDP^X;,  AND  HOW  THIS  CAN  BE  KEPT  SINGLE  AND 
DOUBLE. 

After  you  have  made  all  your  entries  in  the  Journal  in  an  ordi-rly  way.  you  must  transfi-r  them  to  thi- 
third  book,  called  Ledgr-r  (Quadnrno  Orandf,  i.  e.,  big  book).  This  Ledger  contains  usually-  twicf  a.s  many 
fjages  as  the  Journal.  In  it  there  must  b<-  an  alphab-t  or  repertory  or  "trovrirfdlo"  (finding  ki-y )  accord- 
ing to  some;  the  Florentines  call  it  "Stratto."  In  this  index  you  shall  write  down  all  the  debtors  and  cred- 
itors in  the  order  of  their  initial  letter,  together  with  the  number  of  their  respective  pages.  You  shall  put 
the  names  that  begin  with  A  in  the  A  page,  etc. 

This  Ledger,  as  we  have  said  before,  must  bear  the  same  sig^  or  mark  that  is  on  the  Journal  and  mem- 
orandum book:  its  pages  should  be  riumbi-rfd  ;  and  at  the  top  at  the  right  margin  as  well  as  at  the  left 
margin,  you  .shall  put  down  the  date.  On  the  first  page  you  shall  enter  eash  as  debtor.  As  in  the  Journal, 
so  in  the  Ledger,  cash  should  be  entered  on  the  first  page.  It  is  eustomar>'  to  reserve  the  wlioje  of  the  first 
page  to  cash,  and  not  to  enter  anything  else  either  under  the  debit  (in  dare)  or  the  credit  (in  havrrr}. 
This  because  the  cash  entries  are  more  numerous  than  all  others  on  account  of  almost  continuously  paying 
out  and  receiving  money ;  therefore,  it  needs  much  space.  This  Ledger  mu.st  l)e  ruled,  and  should  have  as 
many  lines  as  there  are  kinds  of  monej'  that  you  want  to  enter.  If  you  enter  lire,  soldi,  dcnari  and  picioli, 
you  shall  draw  four  lines,  and  in  front  of  lirf  you  shall  draw  another  line  in  order  to  put  in  thi-  number 
of  the  pages  of  the  Ledger  debit  and  credit  entries. 

45 


©{ftinrto  nona.Zrartafuo.  xi'.©f  fcripfuris  202 

ucrc  re  \atcnmo.£  ryin5<e  faraf.r.rigbf  .g  potcrcii)Ctt«c.li  oiD  inano  i  nwna.  comujo  nc 
Ii  aim  qdcrni  bai  vifto  d?e  pi'u  non  miftcdo  [  qrto  -zc.p  poKr  irouar  pllo  Icjgritc  7c.  £  pur 
firaftgnatocroacommolialtn.  .  ,  ,     , 

t>cl  modo  a  poitsr  k  price oc  gioznalc  in  quadcrno.c  jxl?e  cc  una  m  gio:naIc  fene  fada 
coiinquadcrnozccflmodoaocpennarclccritetn  gio:aalceoeliroi  nunicri  otie  cflrri 
oclquadernodJeinlcfucmargincfiponccedx.  Cap°        14. 

£r  laqual  cofa.fappi  cbe  oi  tutre  le  j^rite  cl?c  tu  barai  pofte  in  logiojnalc.al  qwa 
dcrno  gradc.tc  ne  couc  fep:e  fare  ooi.doc  vna  in  oare  c  laltra  in  bauerc  ^cbe  lili 
d^iama  wbitojcg  lo.  ^r.  £  loci  edito:e  ^  lo.  B.  conio  oifop:a  oiccmo  cb  6 
(unococ  laltro.fioeuc  oa  gfefare  1  ".ptitaiqlla  oel  wbitoicponerc  ala  man  fini 
ftra  £  qlla  ^l  credito?c.aIa  man  ocrtra.^  in  qlla  oel  ocbitoje.cbiamarelaQrta.  oouefia 
qlla  od  fuo'£rcdiro:e.£  coli'in  qlla  Del  credico^e.cbiamarc  la  carta  m  qlla  ooue  fia.  £1 1  no 
tvebit02c.£  in  qUo  modo  fcp?e  uegano  incaitenate  tutte  le  grite  od  oitro  qdcrno  grade,  nd 
ql  maifioeuemcttuccofain  Dare  dx  qlla  anco:a  non  fiponga  in  bauc:e.£<oli  nuifioc  ■ 
ue  metterc cofa  in  bauefe  dx  ancoja.qlla medcfima  co  fuo  atnorare  no  ii  mctta  in  Dare.  £ 
vi  qua  nafcf  poialbilancio  cbe  Del  lib°.fi  fa.nel  fuo  faldo  tato  couie  dx  fia  el  Dare.qpto  lauc 
re  Cioc  fiimatc  f utrc  le  prire  dx  firano  pofte  in  Dare  fe  fofTcro  bene- 1  oooo.  Da  pre  in  fu  vn 
foclio.£  Di  poi  (ijmarc  fimilmcte  tnttc  qlledx  in  bauerc  (irrouano.  tanto  Dcbbe  tare  luna 
fu  mma  qro  lalrra.altramere  Dcmoftrarebbe  eere  erroze  nd  Ditto  qdcruo.coe  ncl  modo  del 
far  fuobilancio  fe  Dira  apieno  7C.£  cofi  coe  ouna  dc  giornale  ne  fai.2.al  qderno.cofi  a  qlla 
pttia  dx  Dd  gioznale  lew  farai  Doi  rigbe  a  traucjfo  fo  d>v:ii  leuando.cioc  fe  p^tu  la  mettij 
TOre.1^:ia  farai  1  ^riga  atraucrfo.verib  al  priir.Dcta  jJrita.dx  Dinota  ecr  polh  in  Dare  al  q 
dfrno.£  fe  la  mctri  in  bauere.o  p2ima.o  poicoc  acadc  ale  uolte  fare  al  qdemieri  «tdo  Ii  aca 
dcfcriiicf  e  C  luogo.c^  lim  qlla  carta  Ii  nandera.2.0.5.  p  no  uibauere  a  tojuflrcfene  fpa^a  Di 
mettcrlcli  alo:a.£  go  fo  dx  mettc  cofi  ocue  ocpcnnarc  g  b.iuerl3  mcfla  in  baucrc.farai  lal 
era  Dcpcnatura.vcrfo  man  Dcrtra.Dal  anto  douc  fincfcila  grtta  dx  Dnotara  ccr  iiieife  i  ba 
uo^cleql  lince  ftaranno  coe  Difopja  m  qflo  uedi  flguraro  a  la^c^ta.•|i)^Dclacalf3.  luna  Ditra 
Unea*  ocDare.c  ll3lt^De  bauere.£  cofi  Dala  to  i  margincDinanse  al'pjincipio  bifogn«  dxpo 
dM'.2*4iu'.luno  fotfo  lalrro.ql  vi  fop?a  d#e  Dcnoti  la  grita.Dcl  ocbitoze.a  q'tc'  cam  cbe  la  fia 
pofta  in  lo  qdcrno  £  qllo  dc  fotco  dx  Dcnoti  le  carri.re  Ditto  qderno.'ooue  fia  potto  el  ac 
dito^'.eoe  vcdi  Ii  ala  J>tita  Dcla  caffa  Difopza  i  qfto.d?e  fta  cofi.;.  fcca  tramc^«;o.  £  flnco?a  al 
cuni collumano cofi c6 n^mc«;co. j. a guifa t>c ronidx no  fa cafo.flB>a t piu bcllo fenco tra 
me^^o.  Bcio  adn  vede  no  pareflero  fpcftati.  O  vero  rotti « c.£  vol  Dire  qllo.  1  °.di  fopja  dx 
la  C3ffe.£  Jidla  p*.carta  od  qdcrno.£l  cauedale.£  ndla  fa  carta  oe  Ditto  qdcrno.i  banerc. 
c  qlla  in  Dare  '7C.£  nota  dx  fcp2c  q-to  piu  pflb  tu  po:rai  mettere  claedito:e  al  fuo  ccbrtojc. 
fcra  piu  li^adro.aucga  dx  pofto  ooue  fiuoglia  tanto  mori.fl^a  |)  rifpctto  dcI  mikfmio.dx 
ole  uolte  fe  itcrpoe  fra  l^gn^e  lalt^  rcfpodc  n)alc,£  c6  fatiga.no  poca.fe  ritrouano  lo:  tpi 
coe  fa  d?i  x>ua  cb  ogni  cofa  cofi  apieno  no  fi  po  oircidDa  biio'.cb  aco:a  tu  aUf  to  c6 1 uo  na 
turale  ingcgno  ta  iuri.£  go  fcp:e ftudia  Dafettflr  ditto  creditore  immediate  a  pflb  el  fuo  dc 
bitoje  in  la  mcdema  fadata.o  rero  ila  imedim  fcqnte.no  intcrponedoui  fra  luno  e  laltro.al 
fra  Dtita.T^erodxnel-.pp:togio:no cbe  n.3fdddcbito:e  in  qllo  mcdemo  nafci  etcrcdito:c 
£  P  qfto  rifpctto  feprc fe  dcue  acoftar  luno  a  lalf  7c. 

£)d  modo  a  fage  dirtarcle  gtitc  de  lacaflTa  c  cauedale  nd  quaderno  in  dare  c  l?9uere:e  Dl 
milcfimo  dxDifopw  ncl  pzindpio  Dcla  carta  a  lantico  fi  metre  in  eflb:e  ddn  fua  nmtatione 


.'  poi ' . 

p:3  nd  quaderno  po:rfli  cl  milefimo  alabacco  antico.  cioe  per  alfabcto  cofi. 

CB  cccc.lrrvnu.7C.£l  di  no  fe  coJbma  inettarlo  difopra  in  loqiiaderno  coe  in 
logiojnale.gdx  I '.gtira  in  qu9dcrno.b3radiucrfidi.£  go  no  fipo:ra  fcruar  o:dmc  ddi 
di.difopra  coe  apieno  nd  feqnte  cap'.fe  dira.iOfba  dctro  dcla  gtita  ib<.  intcderai  la  p'uolta 
£  poLCofidalato  in  lo  fpado  dx  difopra  diccmo  dinancc  ala  gtita.crdotarpartita  nafcclfc 
daln-o  milefimo  dx  difopja  nd  prindpio  dda  cartafollc  fcritto  dx  folc  auenire  3d?i  de  an 
no  in  anno  no  ripozta  e  falda  fuoilibri  ficbe  tal  tnilcfimo  fipojra  difuora.nndo  in  margine 
ripettoapotoaqllagtitalinatacocucdiponioqutdirotto.qilofoloauene  in  lib?  grandc 
cbe  in  \i  altri  no  po  aaenirc.boca  cuai  cofi.t2aedola  fore  pure  alabacco  arico  g  piu  bellc^a 

^  it 


46 


Before  these  lines  you  shall  draw  two  more  lines  wherein  to  mark  the  dates  as  you  go  on,  as  you  have  seen 
in  the  other  books,  so  that  you  may  find  each  item  quickly.  This  book  shall  also  bear  the  sign  of  the  crosa 
as  the  others. 

CHAPTER  14. 

HOW  THE  ENTRIES  SHOULD  BE  TRANSFERRED  FROM  THE  JOURNAL  INTO  THE 
LEDGER  AND  WHY,  FOR  EACH  ENTRY  OF  THE  JOURNAL,  YOU  HAVE  TO  iVIAKE  TWO  IN 
THE  LEDGER;  HOW  ENTRIES  IN  THE  JOURNAL  SHOULD  BE  CANCELLED.  THE  TWO  NUM- 
BERS OF  THE  PAGES  OF  THE  LEDGER  WHICH  ARE  PLACED  IN  THE  MARGIN  OF  EACH 
ENTRY  AND  WHY. 

For  each  one  of  all  the  entries  that  you  have  made  in  the  Journal  you  will  have  to  make  two  in  the 
Ledger.  That  is,  one  in  the  debit  {in  dare)  and  one  in  the  credit  {in  havere).  In  the  Journal  the  debtor  is  in- 
dicated by  per,  the  creditor  by  a,  as  we  have  said.  In  the  Ledger  you  must  have  an  entry  for  each  of  them. 
The  debitor  entry  must  be  at  the  left,  the  creditor  one  at  the  right ;  and  in  the  debitor  entry  you  must  indi- 
cate the  number  of  the  page  of  the  respective  creditor.  In  this  way  all  the  entries  of  the  Ledger  are  chained 
together  and  you  must  never  make  a  credit  entry  without  making  the  same  entry  with  its  respective  amount 
in  the  debit.     Upon  this  depends  the  obtaining  of  a  trial  balance  {bilancio)  of  the  Ledger. 

There  can  not  be  a  closing  {saldo)  because  there  must  be  as  much  in  credit  as  there  is  in  debit. 
In  other  words,  you  shall  add  together  all  the  debit  entries,  even  if  there  are  ten  thousand,  on  a  separate 
sheet,  and  then  add  together  in  the  same  way  all  the  credit  entries ;  the  totals  of  the  one  should  be  the  same 
as  the  totals  of  the  other ;  otherwise  it  would  show  that  some  mistake  has  been  made  in  the  Ledger.  We 
will  speak  at  length  about  this  when  we  talk  about  the  way  of  making  the  trial  balance  {bilancio).  And 
since  for  one  entry  of  the  Journal  you  make  two  in  the  Ledger,  you  shall  draw  two  diagonal  lines  as  you 
make  the  transfer — that  is,  if  you  first  transfer  the  debit  entry,  you  shall  first  draw  a  diagonal  line  {riga 
a  traverso)  at  the  beginning  of  the  entry  in  the  Journal  which  shows  that  the  entry  has  been  posted  {posta) 
to  the  debit  into  the  Ledger.  If  you  transfer  the  credit  entry,  either  at  this  time  or  later,  as  it  often  happens 
that  the  bookkeeper  can  make  two  or  three  entries  on  the  same  page  in  order  to  prevent  his  coming  back  to 
write  on  that  same  page — in  which  case  he  should  draw  a  line  at  the  right  side  where  the  entry  terminates. 
This  will  show  that  the  entry  has  been  transferred  to  the  credit  of  the  Ledger.  These  two  lines,  you  may  see 
in  the  preceding  diagram,  drawn  in  the  margin  by  the  first  cash  entry ;  the  one  is  called  debit  line,  and  the 
other  credit  line.  At  the  side,  in  the  marginal  part,  you  shall  write  down  two  numbers  before  the  beginning 
of  the  entry,  the  one  under  the  other.  The  upper  indicates  at  what  page  of  the  Ledger  the  debit  entry  is, 
and  the  lower  indicates  the  page  of  the  Ledger  where  the  credit  is,  as  you  will  see  at  the  cash  entry  in  the 
above  example,  like  this  I,  without  a  line  between  them.  Some  are  accustomed  to  draw  a  line  in  between, 
like  this,  ^.  This  does  not  matter,  but  it  looks  nicer  without  the  line  between,  so  that  the  figures  wiU  not 
appear  to  the  reader  as  if  they  were  fractions.  The  upper  figure,  1,  means  cash  was  entered  in  the  first 
page  of  the  Ledger,  and  capital  M^as  entered  in  the  second  page  of  the  said  Ledger ;  the  cash  on  the  debit, 
and  the  capital  on  the  credit  side.  You  should  know  that  the  closer  to  the  debtor  you  can  place  the  creditor, 
the  nicer  it  wiU  look.  It  is  just  the  same,  however,  no  matter  where  it  is ;  but  it  may  look  bad  on  account 
of  the  date  which  at  times  must  be  put  between  entries,  and  it  makes  it  difficult  then  to  find  the  dates. 
We  can  not  tell  you  everything  fully,  but  you  with  your  natural  ingenuity  must  guide  yourself.  Therefore 
you  always  try  to  put  the  said  creditor  immediately  after  its  debtor  on  the  same  line  or  on  the  line  imme- 
diately following  without  entering  anything  else  in  between,  for  whenever  there  is  a  debit  item  there  must 
exist  at  the  same  time  a  credit  item.    For  this  reason,  get  the  one  as  near  as  possible  to  the  other. 

CHAPTER  15. 

THE  WAY  IN  WHICH  THE  CASH  AND  CAPITAL  ENTRIES  SHOULD  BE  POSTED  IN 
THE  LEDGER  IN  THE  DEBIT  AND  THE  CREDIT.  THE  DATE  WHICH  AT  THE  TOP 
OF  THE  PAGE  IS  WRITTEN  DOWN  ACCORDING  TO  THE  ANCIENT  USE.  CHANGING  OF 
THE  SAME.  HOW  TO  DIVIDE  THE  SPACE  ON  THE  PAGES  FOR  SMALL  AND  LARGE  AC- 
COUNTS AS  THE  BUSINESS  REQUIRES. 

After  having  told  you  these  things  for  your  instruction,  we  write  now  the  first  entry  of  the  cash  in 
the  debit  column,  and  then  the  first  entry  of  the  capital  in  the  credit  column,  in  the  Ledger.  But,  as  we 
have  said,  you  shall  write  down  in  the  Ledger  the  year  in  the  old  way  by  using  the  alphabet, 
thus:  MCCCCLXXXXIII,  etc.  It  is  not  customary  to  put  the  day  at  the  top  in  the  Ledger  as  in  the 
Journal,  because  one  account  in  the  Ledger  may  have  several  dates,  and  therefore  you  can  not  keep  the 
dates  in  order  by  putting  them  at  the  top ;  but  you  shall  put  the  days  in  the  body  of  the  entry,  as  you 
will  understand  hereafter. 

We  put  the  day  to  one  side,  in  the  space  of  which  I  have  spoken,  just  before  the  entry.  If  an  item  re- 
fers to  a  transaction  which  happened  in  a  different  year  than  that  written  at  the  top  of  the  page,  which 
happens  when  one  does  not  balance  and  transfer  his  books  at  the  end  of  each  year,  then  this  year  shall 
be  put  on  the  side,  in  the  margin  near  the  entry  of  the  item  to  which  it  refers.  This  only  happens  in  the 
Ledger,  and  can  not  happen  in  the  other  books.  In  making  this  entry  for  the  year,  use  the  antique  let- 
ters, which  are  neater. 


*7 


Bi(b'nrtfo  nona.rracta(n9.]a*J&crcripturi0 

non  ©ftnoio  aqual  clx  tu  re  caui  non  fa  cafo  ic.  bonca  pirai  cofi. 

yBs.        t]r>.cccclrrrj:ip. 
jCefTfl  cc  cotanr  I  ric  wrc  a  oi .  8.noucb:e.pcr  caucdal  per  contanri  oc  piu  foncfra  o?o  c  mo 
nctetncrrouobauac in qufllam quelle pxrcitKoimtuttoca.i.        S.r"'.(5    g    p 
£  qui nobifoQia  cbc  rroppo  tc  (teda.p  baucr be  gia  Ikfo  in  giojnalc.  CB3  fctnpjc  Itudu 
cir  b.^uf  .£a  p?ima  ncl  comcn^rc  fe  wcialquantoiale  fcqucti  in  la  mcdcnia  id  k  oidc  a 
Oi0irro7c.perlotale.  car.  .    S        '^    g     P 

laqual  cofi  pofta  dx  Ibaraiocpcnarai  in  giwnalc  in  oarc  commc  fopza  tc  w(Ti.£  poi  i  ba 
ner  per  lo  caucdal  oirai  c  ofivj. 

y59  i3^.cccc'.lrrrm 
Caucdal  cc  nii  talc  7c.oic  baucrc  a  oi.8.noucmb.Y4KT cafla.pcr  contawi  mc  trouo  in  quel 
Iflfi'narwprcrcnrcinondnionacOcpiufoTicintuno.  car.  1.  S-X^f  o  g  0  p  0 
£  cofiancoja.i  qfta  bada  fucn'niamctc  oirc  per  lacagton  fc»p:a  oitra.ialtrc  poicbe  q  (otto 
ala  mcdetna  prira.fe  l?aocranno  3po:rc  fin  dx  la  fia  piciia  baftara  adire.£  a  oi  tann  7c.pcr 
latal  cofa  tc.£oc  ucdi  acenato  qui  oa  cants>.canco in  fin  oiqftobarai  cjrenjplo.  ccfi  fequi^ 
rai  con  b.^cuita  in  riirtc  marimc  in  quelle  pamre  i Ix  a  re  folo  afpettanccioe  dx  non  bai  a 
rcndcre  conto  adal  amo.  CBn  in  qlle  cbc  tu  baucrai  a  rcndcrc  coto  adaltri-alquo  piu  ti  c6 
ucrra  rirc.aucnga  dx fcmpx'  fc rccoa-c^^cr  le d?iarcv«;c  al  giojiiale  7c.£  poi  oarai  lalrra  oc 
pcnatura.a  qllaoelgionwlc  in  l>auer<r.(6cfopra  rioifliin.i  :°.cap"£  in  lamargine  ojuan' 
ri.ala  prita.pojra!  li zm  nunicricoc  rMipar  in  Ditto  loco  oele  earn  ooae  fono.  £1  dcbi(o;c 
d  crcdiroar-aoc  qllo  ocl  ocbitoxocfop?a.£  qllo  od  credifox  oc  forto  coe  facenio  oiTop^is. 
ela  ptita  re lacaffa-f  poi ft^ito  poa"ai  in  lo  tuo alfabao.doc  rc^ozio.qfto  Dcbirox  c  crcdi 
f  orc.ognuno  ala  fua  Ifa  c6c  fai  dx  Difop?a  DifTiXioc  la  cafTa.al  la  If  a.  £.  oiccdo  octro  in  q  / 
ih  m6do.rioe.C3na  DC  cotanti.  R.  1 .  £  anco?3  d  caucdal  pozrai al.  £  oicendo.  £3- 
iicdalDenn\ppno.  R.  J.  £  cofi  g  tuo  ingcgnoadaraiarmando.tuttcleiJtite.elinoi 
oc  It  Dcbito?i  perfoc  c  robbc  7c£  coU  Decrcdito:i.po:rai  nd  Ditto  rcpcnoao.  a  Icfue  letrcrc 
ado  poi  con  facrtita  poffi  fiibi'to  rctrouarli  in  Ditto  quadcrno  gr  jndc  7  cetera. 

£  nota  dx  baucndo  ni  gdmo  d  mo  qdcmo  ^  alcun  cafo  Derobaria.o  incedio  oi  foco.o 
naufragii  7C.£  baucdo  tu  luno  oc  li  aim  doi  libn.£ioc  memo:iQle.  0  vcro  gio:nale.  co  elTo 
pozrai  femp:c rcfare  vnaltroqdcrno^rd  le  medcfimc  giitc  a  oi  g  vi.£  ponerlc  al  nunjcjo  ot 
fc  medcrime  dx  i  ql  Dfo  firetrouauano.£Sbarimc  l?aucdo  m  el  giojnale.ooue  g>do  nc  Icua 
(li  le  gnte.£  pdefti  aTtib'.tu  imargie  poncfti.li  Ooi  nu'.^li  ccbitozi.e  crcditoji.liio  foura  lal 
tro  dx  d^iamauano  le  cam',  od qdcrno doDcranofituati.e  dipoto  arantc  carri li  po:rai  fa 
re  nro?nar  co  ruo  ingcgno  7c.£  qfto  ba  Ih  qpto  a  vna  gnia  porta  7c'.      poi  la  d  Qtita  eft 
foddc^oicalqdsmoponedola  aruoc6dccefeluogodirraraicofi.£p?i'.femprc  fen^a  pia 
re  rcplicbi  .po?rai  difop:a  nd  pjtnnpio  dda  carta.c!  tn  ilcrimo  fc  nori  folTc  polio  j^  altra  ^ti 
ta.  p'.  poclx  ale  noire  in  vna  mcdema  faria  elquademiezi  afcttara.2.0.  jptitc  fx)  dx  cogiio 
(cera  lo  fpano  ecr  baltaf  c  al  mancgio  di  qlla .  pdx  fozfe  uedara  qlla  tale  ptita  Ixjuerfi  cbiao 
re  hade  adopcrar.£  p  qltolidara  vii  luoeopiu  angullo.  dxa  quelle  dx  fpdTo  liacade.  a 
doparcala gioznata coe difop?a.al cap?  n^.de la callaccjucdal  fooctfo  ql  ficortumaua 
lafarli  tuttajafadara  od  lib'.pdx  f^>dlllTimc  fiade  pccrc  gradi  le  faccdc  ficonucgano  ma* 
ncgiarc.  £  qllo  fol  fi  fa  pii6  baucr  tato  fpclTo  afar  rei^orjo  inace  7C.o2aal,ppofito  rrouaro 
U  d  loco  coe  fc  Dici.diraicofi  in  darcaoc  rerfoHnan  finifJracofi  femprc  fa  apozrc  d  dcbito. 
iDioede  piu  forte,  dicmo  dare  a  di-S.noucbx.p  caijif  dalc.'j>pc^ei  n?  tami  7c.pcfano  tanto 
7C.dequfllitann' fonnobalafll  Icgan  7C.£  ranri fafili7c.  £  tin  nibinicoculcgni  7C.  £  tantt 
dtamanti  crtii  tc.lcquali  in  rurto.o  vero  a  fo;ia  per  ro:ta  metto  ralcre  a  comun  pgio.oc  co 
taiiriduc4and7C.val  car.  2  S4o.fo.go4>o. 

£  cod  dcpenncrai.la  pnto  in  giojnalc.nd  dare  tirando  ia  linea  coinme  dc  fopra  al.  n  f  cap? 
tcdi(Il£  poiandarai  al  caucdal. £  porrai  qfta  medcma con  maco  parotic  jxr  Icragfon  gu 
diTopra  adurte  in  quefto  capitolo  cporrala  in  baucrc  fotto  qudla  p'.cC»'gia  li  bai  pofto  dcia 
calTa.£diraieofi.T3. 

a  tJi    o     dcrto.pcr  ^oie  dc  piu  ionc  commo  li  aparc  7c.  car. ; .  5 .4o.f'  eg  0. p  0. 

£cofipofta  farai  laltra  dctxnarura.al  giojnalc  i  baucr  .coe  tc  moftraidiTopra  al.  1 2  °.ca'. 
£  poTni  I  margmc  li  nmncn  rIc  cmi.  douc  tal  QiiK  al  quademo  poncrtj'  como  dWcnimo 
?noiropra'laltro.coinnie  quidenance  aparc  dx  metro  babi  porta  la  ptita  in  dar  a  carti. h£ 
qlUdeTcaucdal  fta  pure  alogo  fuo  a  cam.2  ,|^in  tanto  dxlla  non  c  piena^clx  dipoi  innate 


48 


although  it  does  not  matter  very  much. 
Thus,  you  shall  put  it  this  way : 

JESUS  MCCCCLXXXXIII. 

Cash  is  debtor  {dee  dare — shall  give)  on  November  8,  "per"  capital.  On  this  day  I  have  in  moneys  of 
different  kinds,  gold  and  other  coins;  page  2:  L.X™,  S ,  6 ,  P 

Here  you  do  not  need  to  be  very  lengthy  if  yon  have  already  given  the  description  in  the  Journal. 
Try  to  be  very  brief. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  page  we  say  more,  but  in  the  entries  following  it  is  enough  to  say :  on  ditto, 
"per"  such  and  such;  page,  etc.,  L  ,  S  ,  G ,  P 

After  you  have  made  the  entry  in  this  way,  you  shall  cancel  in  the  Journal  as  I  have  explained  to  you. 
Then   in   the   credit   side  you   shall   write   down   this  way : 

JESUS MCCCCLXXXXIII. 

Capital  of  myself,  so  and  so,  is  creditor  {dee  havere — shall  have)  on  November  8,  "per"  cash.  On 
this  day  I  have  in  cash,  in  gold  and  other  kinds  of  money ;  i)afie  1 : 

This  entry  is  also  sufHcient ;  express  yourself  briefly  for  the  reason  above  said.  If  there  are  other  items 
to  be  entered  in  the  same  account,  it  will  be  enough  to  say,  on  ditto,  "per"  such  and  such,  etc.,  as  has  just 
been  sho\\^l.  At  the  end  of  this  treatise,  I  will  give  you  an  example,  and  thus  you  will  go  on  expressing 
yourself  briefly  especially  in  tliose  things  which  are  private — that  is,  of  which  you  do  not  liave  to  give  an 
account  to  any  one.  But  as  to  other  things  for  which  you  have  to  give  an  account  to  other  people,  it  will 
be  better  for  you  to  be  more  explicit,  although  for  explanations  we  always  rely  on  tlie  Journal.  Then  you 
will  cancel,  by  drawing  a  line,  the  credit  entry  in  the  Journal  as  I  have  said  above  in  Chapter  12.  In  the 
margin,  just  opposite  the  entry,  you  shall  write  down  the  two  numbers  of  the  pages  where  the  debit  and 
credit  entries  are.  That  is,  you  should  put  the  number  of  the  debit  page  above,  and  the  number  of  the 
credit  page  below,  as  we  have  done  above  in  the  cash  entry.  Then  you  sliall  at  once  enter  in  the  alphabet 
or  repertory  (index)  this  debtor  and  this  creditor,  each  one  under  its  own  letter  as  I  have  told  you  before. 
That  is,  cash  at  the  letter  C,  by  saying  in  this  way:  Cash,  page  1.  And  capital  also  at  the  letter  C,  saj-ing: 
Capital  belonging  to  me,  page  2.  And  so  on,  you  shall  enter  (in  this  repertory)  all  the  creditors  under 
their  respective  letters,  so  that  you  may  find  them  easily  in  the  Ledger  mentioned. 

Take  notice,  that  if  by  any  chance  you  should  lose  this  Ledger  througli  robbery,  or  fire,  or  shipwreck, 
etc.,  if  you  have  either  of  the  other  two  books,  that  is,  the  memorandum  book  or  Journal,  you  can,  by  means 
of  this  book  always  make  up  another  Ledger  wdth  the  same  entries,  day  by  day,  and  enter  them  on  the  same 
pages  on  which  they  were  in  the  last  book ;  especially  so,  if  you  have  the  Journal  in  which,  when  .you  trans- 
ferred tlie  different  entries  into  tlie  Ledger,  you  wrote  down  at  the  margin  the  two  numbers  of  the  debit 
entry  page,  and  the  credit  entry  page,  the  one  above  the  other,  which  two  numbers  indicated  the  pages  of 
the  ledger  where  the  two  entries  had  been  entered.  In  this  way  you  can  duplicate  your  Ledger.  This  is 
enough  said  for  the  posting  of  one  entry. 

For  the  second  entries,  which  pertains  to  precious  stones,  you  shall  enter  in  the  Ledger  as  follows : 

FIRST,  without  my  telling  it  to  you  over  again,  you  shall  write  down  at  the  top  of  the  page  the  date, 
if  there  has  been  no  date  written  before  because  of  another  account,  for  at  times  on  the  same  page  two  or  three 
accounts  are  made.  Sometimes  you  won't  give  much  space  to  one  special  account  because  you  know  tliat 
you  will  not  have  to  use  that  account  over  again.  Therefore  you  will  give  to  this  account  a  smaller  space 
than  the  space  you  give  to  other  accounts  whicli  you  had  to  use  more,  as  we  have  said  above  in  Chapter  13, 
when  talking  about  cash  and  capital,  to  which  we  give  the  whole  page,  as  we  have  to  use  tliese  two  ac- 
counts very  often  because  of  the  many  transactions.    This  is  done  in  order  to  lessen  transfers. 

Now  then,  after  you  have  found  the  proper  place  (in  the  ledger),  you  shall  write  down  on  the  left — 
because  the  debtor  must  always  be  at  the  left:  Precious  stones  of  many  kinds  debit  {dienno  dare — shall 
give),  on  November  8,  per  capital,  for  so  many  pieces,  etc.,  weighing  so  much,  so  many  are  counted  halasxi, 
etc.,  and  so  many  sapphires,  etc.,  and  so  many  rubies,  etc.,  and  so  many  unpolished  diamonds  in  bulk  (or 
divide  the  different  kinds),  for  a  value  of  so  many  ducats;  page  2:  L40;  SO;  GO;  PO. 

You  shall  cancel  this  item  in  the  Journal  on  the  debit  side  by  drawing  a  line  as  I  have  told  you  in 
Chapter  12.  And  then  you  will  go  to  capital,  and  you  shall  enter  this  entry  with  fewer  words,  for  the  rea- 
sons above  expressed  in  this  chapter,  writing  it  down  on  the  credit  side  under  the  first  entry  that  you  have 
already  made,  and  you  shall  express  yourself  this  way : 

On  the  day,  or  ditto,  for  precious  stones  of  several  kinds,  as  it  appears  at  page  3 :      L40 ;  SO ;  GO ;  PO. 

After  wliich  you  shall  draw  another  line  on  the  credit  side  of  the  Journal,  as  I  have  shown  in  Chap- 
ter 12 ;  you  shall  put  down  in  the  margin  the  two  numbers  of  the  pages  of  the  Ledger  in  which  you  have 
made  these  entries,  one  above  the  other,  as  I  have  told  you.  We  shall  say,  for  instance,  that  you  have  en- 
tered the  debit  entry  at  page  3 ;  the  capital  entry  will  still  appear  at  page  2,  as  long  as  that  page  is  not 
filled. 


49 


OMinrtonotta.srrartatu^.ri'.St'fcriptoria  joj 

a  wttc  lativ  !a  po:Mrai.cdinc  Motto  nc  rcpom  intcckrai  flpK:iio.£  qfto  p  qfta.e  3  fue  filtif 
lie  l«a  baftatt  7C.£  pofla  clx  (arafal  oi'tro  qderno.  £  afenan  111  giomalc-c  tu  fubvto  lapor- 
rai  al  rcgtorio  0  vcro  alfabctccoc  oifop:a  i  qft"o  cap?  fo  ocrro.  £ioc  ala  fua  Ira.  6. 0  vcro. 
5.  fo.pf W  I5a  la  .pfcri'raf.coc  iduicrfi  pacfi ocadc.cbr  qui  i  uincgia  moiro  fi  coftuma  pone 
re  cl.  5-  r>ouc  noi m  rofcana  ponemo  c!  gXkbc  accwaarala  tu  a  tm  Jwdido  7C. 

£6c  k  ZKbxno  oitrarc  Icj^iirc  oclcmcrcanric  cbe  per  imcntmo  oaltro  inodo  (bonjo  fert 
trouatndquadcrno'inoareeinbaucrc.  £ap^    16". 

11  £  alrrc.4-B"t<^  P<^'  ^"  kqacti  ocl  tuo  mobilcaoc  ar^cri.plni.lmi.Icfti  oc  piuma 
£  velk  rcooflb  7C.pci  p  re  flcfTo  facrtincrc  mcttarai  ccl  iuctario  in  giornalc  oc 
poto  c6e  li  le  poneHi.ocnotatc.pclx  c6e  oiccmo  oifopja  cap*.6?  qllo  tal  iniicnt  a 
rio  no  ficaua  jxl  mcniojialcp  la  ragt'oc  li  3fcgnara.£  po  fuo  oirrarc  in  gi07nalc 
£  <inco?a  nel  gra  lib?  i  oare  c  baucit.  e  ci  po.ne  alalfabcto.lafdaro  o:  niai  Tccjrc  al  ruo  jjcgri 
noingcgnowlql  molrome'cofido  £foIol3.7'.pntaoc^c(;cr  inccbiniclxrifroiiiafafare 
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clx  oimcrcaria  alcuo,-  ^  ritrouane.baiiedo  fcpjc  tu  na  tc  in.icc  gliocbi  (02  n'.pefi.e  iniHire  e 
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^  copcdiofainetc  pofh  po;rai  oi  qluicaltri  ipjcdere  a  rua  fulficicca  po  dx  k  noi  volcnio  wr 
tc  crepio  oel  niodo  verfo  e  via.w'mercare  atrani.lccia.bari.£  bcrota.noe  alo?  nomi^pcfilo 
ro.£ mifurelo2o  7C.£  cofi pcla  marca.£ anclx oela  nfa  tofcanj.froppo  fca-bbc  graded 
voUunc.cbec6b:euitaifendo  concludcre  £pqlla.  7".re(,cceriiclgio?nale.oirc  cofi.  V5. 
per  icnit'cri  inccbiui  i  ujote  a  rcfufo.o  i  colli  oirai  coe  a  te  pare  7c.  91  oitto  cf  >c  fintcde  cauc 
dal.pcbclioiTop?a  imecfiatclarail?o?diRcwoirroiuctan'o.c6c  oiccino  oifopra  cap".  ii°. 
in  la  ptif a  Ta  vc  le  «;oic.p  colli  tanti pefano. 7C.  £  g.  S  .tante  q'do  fofTcro  arc fu(To  i  more  7C. 
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ouc.ranri7c.moranointurfoncttfr>uc.tanri7C.val  $         f     ff    P 

£  cofi  porta  cf?  lariiinel  gio2nale.£tu  al  mcmojiale.o  reroinuetario.laoipeiia.e  laca.al 
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clx  altra  clx  f  giojnale  fi  metta.fe'prc  al  gran  Itb'.fifanno  ooppie.cioe  1 W  oarc.e  laltra  i  ba 
ucrc coe difopfa  oiccino c;p.i  4'*.la qual  poi nel quadcnio  in  oarc.poncndola  oirtarala  I 
qrti)  tnodo.iS'ofto  p'.fcp?e  cl  mflefimo  (c  no  uifolTe  in  capo  oela  carta.fea  mcttarui  cl  gtoz 
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grande no  vi folTc alrro cbe  1  '.fola  prira  oi' cafTa.o 03lrroanco:a cl  i;o;no  pofto  oifopja  nd 
qiladcrno.no  fiporrcbbe  fcruarc4}dx  in  oitca  prita.ocojira  oi mcttcre  cafi  oco:(i in  oiucrfi 
incfi.£  oi  e  p  qlb  c  cbe  li  anrid?i  6ifop:a  nd  quadcnio  no  bano  i  libri  mercarrfcbi  vfiraro 
mcttcre  cl  gio:no.pclx  non  bano  ueduro  vcrfo  ne  via  ne  modo  clx  con  ucrira  fipofla  afet' 
tardlo  7c.4aqual  parn'ra  i!i  dare  cofi  po2rai  oiccdo  7C. 

5cnccri  me  cbini.in  monte.o  uero  colli  7c.oicn  oare  a  oi.8.nonemb?c  per  cauedal.pcr  colii 
tanri  7C.pcfano. «;  -tantc  Tc.quali  mi  trouo  baucre  in  cafa.  o  ucro  maga^en  al  p?efcnte  qu^l 
oeconiunco?rollimo  wlere  d  cento  7C.ouc.tanti7c.£  per  tutiimontaouc.  g.  p.7c.ra( 
carti.  2.  S         f    g?    P 

£  cofiocpcnnarai  la  partita  od  ^02nak  inoare.rioc  a  man  fendh-a  come  piu  uolte  to  oiV-- 
ro£poi in  baucre  afcrtaralain  qftomodoalcauedal  commctc  moriflrai  ponerc  qudia 
XKk  voic  fop2a  a  cap".  1  s  ?  cofi  vj- 

aoi  0  oerro.pcr(en{c2imedMni  in  montco  vcro  colli  7c.cflr.  ;.  S  P  g?  p. 
£  cofi  porta  cbe  Ibaraiocpennaraila  partita  od  gio2nalc  in  Ixiuercdoe  verfo  mande- 
ftra.coe  oinan^evedi  fatto.£  poni  li  numcri  ode  carti oina«;e  alei  in  margine  vno  fop.'a  lal' 
tro.£ioe  d.;  .oifopja  d.:  .oifotto  pclx  tu  bai  meffo  d  ocbito2ea  carti.  vnd  quadcrno.  d  crc 
ditox  e  9.2  .Cioc  d  capital.c  fubito  poi  la  mcrti  inalfabeto.o  vero  reptorioafa  fua  li^a.  fioc 
al.3.fcp.5la  c6[m.o  vcroal.^.pla  rafooitta  inlopccdcrcca'.a  qlla  ptitafaodcjoie7c. 
bel  modo  a  rcncreconro  con  li  officri  publici:c  pcrclx:e  oc  lacamcra  ocU'mp2eln  m  vc  f 
ncttadxfcgoucrnaperviaoefcrticri.  ^^p?  17° 

p  m 


50 


This  example  will  guide  you  in  other  casei. 

After  you  have  made  the  entries  in  the  Ledger  and  marked  it  in  the  Journal,  you  shall  put  it  at  once  in 
the  index  as  I  have  told  you  above  in  this  chapter — that  is,  under  the  letter  G  or  Z,  according  as  to  how 
Oioie  (stone)  is  pronounced.  In  Venice  the  custom  is  to  pronounce  it  with  Z;  in  Tuscany,  with  G.  Guide 
yourself  according  to  your  own  understanding. 

CHAPTER  16. 

HOW  THE  ENTRIES  RELATIVE  TO  THE  MERCHANDISE  OF  WHICH  ONE  IS  POS- 
SESSED ACCORDING  TO  HIS  INVENTORY,  OR  OTHERWISE,  SHOULD  BE  MADE  IN  THE 
LEDGER  BOTH  IN  THE   DEBIT  AND  THE   CREDIT. 

You  will  be  able  to  transfer  easily  by  yourself  from  the  Inventory  to  the  Journal  the  four  items  of 
your  personal  goods — that  is,  silver,  linen,  feather  beds,  clothes,  etc.,  exactly  as  you  write  them  in  the 
Inventory,  as  we  explained  in  Chapter  6.  This  Inventory  was  not  contained  in  the  memorandum  book,  for 
the  reasons  therein  expressed. 

And  as  to  how  to  make  these  entries  in  the  Journal  and  the  Ledger,  and  as  to  how  to  record  them  in 
the  Index,  I  will  leave  to  your  ability,  on  which  I  count  very  much. 

We  shall  proceed  to  enter  in  the  Journal,  as  well  as  in  the  Ledger,  the  seventh  item  (of  the  Inven- 
tory), which  pertains  to  Ginger.  This  must  be  a  sufficient  instruction  for  you  by  which  to  make  any  other 
entry  relative  to  your  merchandise.  You  should  always  have  in  mind  their  number,  weights,  measurements 
and  values  according  to  the  different  ways  in  whicli  it  is  customary  to  make  purcliases  or  sales  among  mer- 
chants in  the  Rialto,  or  elsewhere.  It  is  not  possible  to  give  here  full  examples  for  all  these  operations,  but 
from  those  few  that  we  give  here  you  will  be  able  to  understand  how  to  go  ahead  in  any  other  case.  For 
if  we  wanted  to  give  you  an  example  of  all  the  ways  in  which  merchants  do  business  in  Traui,  Leeee,  Bari 
and  Bitouto — -that  is,  to  give  you  the  names  of  their  weights,  measurements,  etc.,  and  also  to  tell  you  about 
the  ways  that  they  use  them  in  Marea  and  in  our  Tuscany,  this  would  make  our  treatise  very  long,  which, 
on  the  contrary,  I  intend  to  make  short. 

As  to  this  seventh  item  to  be  entered  in  the  Journal,  we  shall  proceed  thus :  Per  Ginger  in  bulk  or 
package — you  shall  express  yourself  as  you  like —  //  a  ditto — by  which  capital  is  understood,  because  you 
have  already  mentioned  it  in  the  entry  immediately  preceding,  when  you  entered  your  second  item  from 
the  inventory,  that  is,  precious  stones — as  we  said  in  Chapter  12 — ^I  possess  on  this  day  so  many  packages 
weighing  so  much,  or  1  possess  so  many  pounds,  if  in  bulk,  according  to  the  current  prices,  of  a  value  by 
the  hundred  or  by  the  pound,  of  so  many  ducats ;  in  total  I  give  them  the  value  of  so  many  ducats. 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

After  you  have  entered  it  in  the  Journal  in  this  way,  you  shall  cancel  it  in  the  memorandum  book  or 
inventory,  as  we  have  said  in  Chapter  12,  and  you  shall  do  the  same  for  the  other  items.  Of  this  entry,  as 
we  have  said,  as  well  as  of  any  entry  made  in  the  Journal,  you  shall  make  two  different  entries  in  the 
Ledger;  that  is,  one  iu  the  debit  and  the  other  in  the  credit. — See  Chapter  14.  In  making  the  entry  in 
the  Ledger  in  the  debit,  you  shaU  proceed  in  this  way :  First  you  shall  put  the  year,  in  ease  there  is 
none,  at  the  top  of  the  page,  without  there  putting  down  the  day,  for,  as  we  have  said  in  Chapter  15,  it  is 
not  customary  to  put  down  the  day  at  the  beginning  of  the  page  of  the  Ledger  because  on  that  same  page 
several  entries  may  be  made  under  the  debit  and  credit  which,  while  belonging  to  the  same  year,  refer  to 
transactions  made  in  different  months  and  days.  Even  if  on  that  page  of  the  Ledger  there  was  only  one 
cash  entry  or  other  entry,  the  day  put  at  the  top  of  the  page  could  not  be  very  well  kept  because,  under 
the  said  entry,  it  would  be  necessary  to  write  down  transactions  which  happened  in  different  months  and 
days.  For  this  reason  the  ancient  people  never  put  the  day  at  the  top  of  the  pages  in  mercantile  ledgers, 
as  they  saw  that  there  was  no  justification  for  it,  etc. 

You  shall  make  this  entry  in  the  debit  (in  the  Ledger)  in  the  following  manner:  Ginger  in  bulk,  or  so 
many  packages,  debit  {dee  dare — shall  give)  on  November  8  per  capital,  for  so  many  pieces,  weighing  so 
many  pounds,  which  I  on  this  day  have  in  my  store,  or  at  home  in  my  house,  and  which  according  to  current 
prices  are  worth  so  many  ducats  and  in  total  so  many  ducats,  grossi,  picioli,  etc. ;  Page  2 : 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

Then  you  shall  cancel  this  entry  on  the  debit  side  of  the  Journal — that  is,  at  the  left,  as  I  have  told 
you  often,  and  then  you  shall  enter  it  on  the  credit  side  under  Capital,  as  I  have  shown  you  in  entering  the 
precious  stones  item  in  Chapter  15,  that  is : 

On  ditto  per  Ginger  in  bulk  or  packages,  etc.;  Page  3:  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

After  you  have  entered  it  in  this  way,  you  shall  cancel  the  entry  on  the  credit  side  of  the  Journal — 
that  is,  at  the  right — as  I  have  shown  you  before,  and  you  shall  also  write  down  at  the  margin  the  numbers 
of  the  respective  pages  of  the  Ledger  one  above  the  other — that  is,  three  above  and  two  below,  as  you  have 
made  the  debit  entry  at  Page  3  and  the  credit  entry  at  Page  2,  and  you  shall  thereafter  enter  it  in  the 
alphabet  or  repertory  under  its  respective  letter,  which  may  be  Z  or  G,  for  the  reasons  given  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter. 

CHAPTER  17. 

HOW  TO  KEEP  ACCOUNTS  WITH  PUBLIC  OFFICES,  AND  WHY.  THE  CAMERA  DE 
L'IMPRESTI  (MUNICIPAL  LOAN  BANK)  IN  VENICE,  WHICH  IS  MANAGED  BY  SESTIERI 
(DISTRICTS). 


51 


Ml 


©irtiiKtfo  nona.rracfattt5.ii*.'©c  fcripturie. 

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depenando.c  fcgnando  in  turn"  li  lod>i  clx  non  tcfcordt  pcrclx  al  mcrcantc  bU 
.  fogna  altro  ccrudlcdx  dc  bcccaria  7C.     0iuclla  dcia  camera  dfp2cftt o  dal' 

tro  mote  c6c  in  fircnca.cfniotc  dele  dote  i  gcnoa  li  locbio  ucro aUriofTidi  c\x  U McrocS 
liquali  m  baaefk  a  farc.per  olcuna  cagione  fa  dx  fcinpze  con  loro  ra  babia  buono  fcotro. 
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£1  coto  tirrai  I  qfto  modo.riocqf-do  tu  compraraialcuna  mcrcantia  p  mc«o  $  fefan'.alora 
©e  tuttofo  amotare.a  rafoncoe.2  .o  oe.' .o  oc.4.7c.p  c".faranccrcdito?c  doitto  offido  oeta 
}ndl^ana.£  ocbitn'dqtla  talc  raercantia.plaql  cagione  tu  pagl:)i  7C.£  po  conuene  dxl  co 
p?ato?c  fempre  ritega  al  ucditox  ncl  pagamcto.oe  contanri.o  rtro  p  altro  modo  dx  labi'a 
flfatifferc  non  fa  cafo.pd?cl  ottto.officio~non  vol  andar  ccrcando  altro  fcnon  larata  clx  H 
oJpctta.aucnga  dx  lifcnfari  rcporfino  cl  mcrcato  in  nor3.c6mo.c  c5.e  dx).leftato  fmo.  per 
cbiarcfte  euidcre  oe  contracricpdo  fra  lojo.nafcefle  Differcnca  alcuna  coe  ac^de.  £1  comuii 
ipuerbio  oici.d?i  non  fa  non  falla.c  d?inon  falla  non  impar a  7c.ocleqliofcijolcndofe  le  pt< 
d>iarircl3ano  regreffo  altjjcrcatonotato.plofcnfaro.al  quale  folidecrett  publidlifipfta 
fedc  coe  a  publico  inffrumentoocnotaro.^Po  la  fojma  o(qllo.dpiu  ode  volte.  £locgna 
offriiooeconroliocmcrcnnri.fo:m3nolelo:o^ridrclxA:iitcn^e7C.C>icoadoncacomp:an' 
do  lu  alcuna  robba.tu  oic  fapcqllo  d.x  lai^ga  oc  in.£  p  lamita  rericni.al  ucnditojc.  £toe 
fe  la  robba  paga.4.p  c*.a  qllo  ofdcio  p  Ocretopublico  ocl  oominto.£  tu  alui  rcrieni.2 .  p  c? 
£  tanto  manco  li'conta.£  Iwra  cl  fuo  oouere.£  r u  poi  ocl  rutto  rclh  obligate  al  oitro  off?' 
rio.£  od  tutto  larai  afar  credito2e al  tuo lib?o contado  c6lui.£  qlla  tol  mercantia  farni 6M 
tridcoe  oicemo  tc.pcbe d  oitro  off in'o  non  uol  ccrcarc.cbi  vcndc.ma  d)\  cojnp2a.£  po  pot 
a  tal  comp2at02i  li  e  conccffo.oi  cauare  tanro  oiqlla  jnercanria.p  q>to  a  pagato  la  m.  fo23  6 
la  terra.in  I020  bolctre.ala  tauola.oc  lufdcjo  per  marc  0  p  terra  dx  la  uogiiono  cauare  ala 
5i02n3ta.£  po  conucgano  li  mercanti  tcncre  bcu  conto  con  lo  oino  offido.  ado  fcmp:e  fa' 
pino  qpto  fumno  cauare.pdx  non  filaffano  cauar-ixr  piu  dx  ficomp2ino  fe  oi  nouo  non 
pagbino la rn.oe conranii rcodcquali compre  c) fequcntc ri pongo crcplo.e cofi.ocl oi'tto 
Offido.commc  fc  iMbinc  a  oit tare  in  gio2n«le.£  ancbc  in  lib20  grande.£  oiro  cofi.  i^i 
ma.tti  meino2iale.fcn)plk:imcnre.5oji?  vcro  not  in  qi\ci\o  01  pofto  oiTopra  ocomp23fo  oa  P 
$U3n  anioniooa  mcfina.^uc^jlipaferminicafll  n'.tantc.pani  nMantf.pefand  in  rutto. tictri. 
oe  pancllc.cani.co2de.e  paglic.  S  tantc  per  ouc.  tati.  cl  c".montano  ouc.tari7C.abaf  to  perh 
Tua  parte  ocla  in  .a  ragion  oe  tanto  per  c°.ouc.g.p.tann  tcfcnfaro^iuan  oc  gagliardi.vale 
nttti  oucanLg.p.tanti  w-paga  m  mo  coptand. 


52 


I  shall  not  give  you  any  more  rules  for  the  other  items — that  is,  leather  goods  for  coverings,  tanned  or 
raw,  etc.,  for  each  of  which  you  shall  make  entries  in  the  Journal  and  Ledger,  carefully  writing  down  every- 
thing and  cheeking  off,  etc.,  without  forgetting  anything,  because  the  merchant  must  have  a  much  better 
understanding  of  things  than  a  butcher. 

If  you  have  accounts  with  the  Camera  de  L'Impresti,  or  with  other  banks,  as  in  Florence,  or  with  the 
Monte  de  La  Dote,  in  Genoa,  as  well  as  similar  offices  or  bureaux  with  which  you  have  business,  see  that 
you  keep  these  accounts  very  clearly  and  obtain  good  written  evidence  as  to  debits  and  credits  in  the  hand- 
writing of  the  clerks  in  those  institutions.  This  advice  you  will  carefully  follow,  for  reasons  to  be  ex- 
plained in  chapter  on  documents  and  letters.  Because  in  these  offices  tliey  often  change  their  clerks, 
and  as  each  one  of  the.se  clerks  likes  to  keep  the  books  in  his  own  way,  he  is  always  blaming  the  previ- 
ous clerks,  saying  that  they  did  not  keep  the  books  in  good  order,  and  they  are  always  trying  to  make  you 
believe  that  their  way  is  better  than  all  the  others,  so  that  at  times  they  mix  up  the  accounts  in  the  books 
of  these  offices  in  such  way  that  they  do  not  correspond  with  anything.  Woe  to  you  if  you  have  anything 
to  do  with  these  people.  Therefore,  be  very  careful  when  dealing  with  them,  and  be  observant  at  home  and 
keep  your  head  in  the  store.  Maybe  they  mean  well,  nevertheless  they  may  show  ignorance.  In  this  way 
you  shall  keep  accounts  with  the  Gabellari  and  Datiaru  (revenue  officers)  as  to  the  things  that  you  might 
sell  or  buy,  things  that  you  grow,  things  that  you  plant,  etc.,  as  it  is  the  custom  in  Venice  wliere  people  are 
used  to  keeping  an  account  through  the  office  of  the  Messetaria  (market  master  or  exchange),  some  at  2%, 
some  at  \%>,  some  at  4%.  You  should  mention  tlie  book  of  the  broker  through  whom  the  transaction  was 
made,  and  also  mention  the  special  mark  that  the  broker  has  in  this  book — that  is,  the  book  in  which  he 
makes  a  record  of  the  market  transaction  at  said  office  which  they  call  "Chiumans"  in  Venice.  For  each 
broker  has  a  book  in  the  said  office,  or  a  place  in  some  book  in  the  said  office,  in  which  he  has  to  make  a 
record  of  all  the  transactions  which  he  has  with  the  citizens  of  the  town  or  with  outsiders.  If  the  broker 
should  not  do  that  he  would  be  fined  and  dismissed. 

And  justly  the  glorious  republic  of  Venice  punishes  them  and  their  clerks  who  should  misbehave.  I 
know  of  many  who  in  the  past  years  have  been  heavily  punished,  and  right  they  are  in  having  one  officer 
whose  only  duty  is  to  oversee  all  these  officers  and  their  books  whether  they  are  well  kept  or  not,  etc. 

CHAPTER  18. 

HOW  YOU  SHOULD  KEEP  YOUR  ACCOUNTS  WITH  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  MESSETARIA 
IN  VENICE.  HOW  TO  MAKE  ENTRIES  PERTAINING  THERETO  IN  THE  MEMORANDUM 
BOOK,  JOURNAL  AND  LEDGER,  AND  ABOUT  LOANS. 

When  you  want  to  do  business  with  the  said  offices,  you  shall  always  charge  to  the  Camera  de  L'Im- 
presti (municipal  loan  bank)  so  many  per  cent,  on  all  your  funds  or  capital,  naming  the  district  where 
one  resides.  Likewise,  for  the  amount  of  the  daily  sales  for  many  are  the  sales  made  for  you  or  for  others, 
as  those  people  know  who  are  familiar  with  the  Rialto.  Be  careful  to  put  down  the  name  of  the  party  that 
buys  and  his  place  of  business,  etc.  When  you  withdraw  said  funds,  you  shall  always  credit  the  said  bank, 
day  by  day  and  district  by  district. 

In  doing  business  with  the  office  of  the  Messetaria  (exchange),  you  shall  keep  the  account  in  this  way: 
When  you  buy  any  merchandise  through  brokers,  you  shall  credit  the  said  office  of  the  Mcssctari  with  the 
2%  or  3%  or  4%  of  the  whole  amoiuit,  and  shall  charge  it  to  that  specific  merchandise,  for  you  are  thus 
paying  for  it,  etc.  Therefore  the  buyer,  when  he  makes  his  payments  to  the  seller,  should  always  retain 
that  percentage,  no  matter  whether  the  payments  are  made  in  cash  or  otherwise,  as  the  said  office  does  not 
concern  itself  about  anything  except  the  rate  ( % )  to  which  it  is  entitled.  The  brokers  make  a  report  of 
the  transaction,  how  and  what  for  and  with  whom  made,  in  order  to  have  things  clear  in  case  any  ques- 
tion should  arise,  which  may  happen. 

A  common  proverb  says :  Who  does  nothing,  makes  no  mistakes ;  who  makes  no  mistakes  learns  noth- 
ing, etc.  ( 

If  any  question  should  arise  and  the  parties  wisli  to  settle  it,  they  would  go  and  examine  the  records 
of  the  transaction  made  by  the  broker,  to  which  records,  according  to  the  public  decrees,  as  full  faith  is 
given  as  to  a  public  notarial  document,  and  according  to  these  records  very  often  the  office  of  the  Consuls 
of  the  merchants  issues  its  judgment. 

I  say,  then,  when  you  buy  anything,  you  must  always  know  what  is  due  to  the  Messetaria,  and  you 
withhold  half  of  this  from  what  you  pay  to  the  seller ;  that  is,  if  the  particular  thing  that  you  buy  is  sub- 
ject to  a  47r  payment  to  that  office,  as  per  public  decrees  of  the  Republic,  you  withhold  2%  of  what  you 
give  to  the  seller.  You  give  him  that  much  less  in  order  that  he  receives  what  is  due  him.  You  then  will 
become  a  debtor  for  the  whole  amount  which  is  due  the  said  office,  and  you  shall  credit  the  said  office  with 
it  in  your  Ledger  when  you  keep  an  account  with  that  office  and  charge  it  to  the  goods  that  you  have 
bought,  as  we  have  said,  because  that  office  does  not  interest  itself  in  the  party  who  sells  out,  but  in  the 
party  who  buys.  In  accordance  with  this,  the  buyer  will  be  allowed  to  take  out  of  the  official  warehouses 
merchandise  in  proportion  to  the  brokerage  paid  and  according  to  their  books  kept  at  the  shipping  co.un- 
ter,  whether  it  came  by  land  or  sea.  Therefore,  the  merchants  should  keep  a  careful  account  with  the  said 
office  so  that  they  know  how  much  merchandise  they  can  take  out.  They  are  not  allowed  to  take  out  more 
than  they  have  bought  unless  they  have  paid  the  extra  brokerage. 

Of  these  purchases,  I  will  give  you  here  an  example  and  how  the  transaction  with  the  said  office  must  be  recorded 
in  the  Journal  and  in  the  Ledger.     First,  you  shall  express  yourself  in  the  memorandum  book  in  the  following  manner: 

I  (or  we),  on  this  day  above  mentioned,  have  bought  of  Mr.  Zuan  Antonio,  of  Messina,  so  many  boxes  of  Paler- 
mo sugar  and  so  many  loaves  of  the  net  weight — that  is,  without  the  boxes,  wrappers,  ropes  and  straw — so  many 
pounds  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred;  I  deduct  for  what  is  due  to  the  Messetaria  at  the  rate  of  so  much  per  cent., 
so  many  ducats,  grossi.  picioU,  etc.  The  broker  was  Mr.  Zuan  de  Gaiardi;  net  value,  so  many  ducats,  grossi. 
picioli.  paid  in  cash. 

53 


^ifHmto  nona.Zracfatue.  ti*.^c  fcnpfnris  104 

Hamcdrfimamgjomafeoiracori'    •  acontanti.  • 

i^^  cmari  ocpalcrmo.  Bcafb  comati  a  f  cuan  oc  antonio  oaiuefina^xr caUT n'.f ante  pani 
n°  Cifiri. pefano ncm.oc cfllTi-pancUc. co?dc.cpaglic.Sfa"rc.a oucfanricl c? mdtanoouc, 
tanri  ic.abarto.p  fa  fua  parte  ocla  m.a  rafon  oe  tanri  per  c".  tc.  ouc.unri  7C.  rcdanoncm. 
tnict3nri7c.fcnfarf.^anDcgauifdi.  %         f'    6    P 

lan*cdf  fnna  in  quaderno  wra  cofi. 
5iicarl  TK  palermo.rnc  oarcadi  talc.p  calTa  conrari  a  f^mn  oantonio  oc  mcfma.  pf  r  panni 
numcro  ranri pcfanoncrri.S-tantepcrouc rantidccrtto.montanonmnnrutro  acarri l^ 
£faraicredirru::laca(l&oiquclranf0  7C.  s  J'    5    ? 

£  fcmpx  farai  (oJTitto  ocia  m.mditoK  dd  Ooppio  cbc  fu  mcnefti  aliicdifo?e.  doe  p  I3 
fua  c  p4arua  gtc.  7C.£  fcpzc  fubit©  noraro  la  robba  fnjcdiatei  vnalr'.pnta  (otto  farai  crcdi 
tox  oirto  officio  per  t>irto  ^ucaro  coc  I>ar3 i  DiTorro.£  pibitria  oitta  robba .  t5>cr  c rcmpio  nu 
na  pagata  a  contanri.02  p?cndmc  rtia  pre  a  cotanric  parte,  a  tpo  p'.imenion'alc  cofi  oirai. 

5  contanri  c  tciTipo.a  di  tanri  7c. 
5oocomp?afo  a  diomo.Da  f  ^uan  oantonio.oamd'ina.aKarioc  pjlermo  pani n".  tanri. 
pefajio  netd.  s  .tante.per  Duc.tanti  el  c'.montano  wic.fanfi.abarfo  per  fua  parte  oe  iii.a  rafo 
oe  tanriper  c"'.ouc'.tantf  7c.wrqua(ial  prefcnte.Ii  nocontan  tMic .  tari  ^  parte  e  oel  refto  mi 
fatpoRntuttoagofto^i"'clxuicn7c.fenfarf^anoeccaiardiv.i(.  one.  ff  p 
£  fappi  cbe  oe  qlle  cofc  c!?e  fe  fcriue  mcrcato  [xr  lofenfaro.a  (offirio  non  btfogiia  far  f&it 
10 oc  man  perclx  e(  mcrcato  bafta.ma  pure  a  caiitcla  ale  uofte  fi  fa  7c. 

5n  gio?na(e  la  medenia  oira  cofi.pzima  quel  tal  oc  rutfoacdiro:e.£  poi  ocbiio:c  ocql 
la  parte  oc  6.  dx  (ui  l?aue. 

yfts.  t49vao!tanriodt3l  mefe7c. 
■^cr  ^ucari palennini:  B  f  ^an  oantonio  oe  mcfina  per  pani  numcro  tanti pcfano  netti  in 
tuttoStante.aoiic.tantie(c?montanoouc.tanti7c.abattoperlafiiaptcoemclTctariaar« 
Ton  oe  tanti  t>cr  c'.ouc.tanri  7c.refta  netto  ouc.ranri  7c.oe  qnali  alpjcfcnte  \i  ncdcbo  contar 
tanti  7C.  £  ocl  rcfto.  mi  fa  terrfiine  fin  turto  agofto  pjorimo  dx  vicn.  fcnfaro  for  <uan  oe 
gaiardi.val.  $         f'    5     P 

^anne  credito:e  fubftd  (oflfido  oela  iii.oela  fua  rata, 
l&er  li  oitti:a  loflfioo  oela  ifi.pcr  lamontar  foura  ofrto.cioe  oeoiict aif  7C  a  rafo  oe  tan  g c*. 
B lamia  parte cqUaodocbitojcituifomontaoucg-pranriral.         %  f    g     P 

la  parte  oe  contanti.  oebito?  luf.£  crcdiroje  !a  calTa.  cofi. 
I&er  f  oian  oatonio.oe  mifina:  B  cafla  cotati  alui  p  ptc  peii  foura  oitti  ^ncari  fo  Fa  fojma  61 
mcrcato.ouf.tatt7C.ageoelreceucrefcrittooefuamanoraK      '         %  f     g    p 

Zamedcma  in  quaderno  oira  cofi. 
5ucari  oc  paler  mo.oicn  dare  a  oi  tal  oinouemb?e  -  per  f  luan  oantomo  oamefina.  per  pani 
n'.tatipefanoneftiSt3nte7C.pduc.tantidc°.niotanoncttioetTi.R.4.  %       P    g    p 
£iuando  uolclTc  fame  partita  nuoua.fl^a  uolendo  fcquitarcla  p?epofla  balbua  oire  a  oi. 
tanti7C.pCTP<uano3nt?oamcfinapp3nin?taripcfano  State 7c.ifi6ta.R.4.S     P    g  p 

lamedema  in  jjaucre  oira  cofi. 
Ser  <uan  datonio  ocmefma  die  bauere  a  di  tanti  de  noucmb?e.^w  cucan  de  palcrnio.  pa- 
nin'.tantipefan  netti  S;.tanteperduc.tannelc''.montano.ncfn  de  ifi.duc.tanti.dcquali  al 
pzeientc  li  ne  ocbio  dar  contanri  duc.tanti  7c.delauan(o.mi  fa  tpo  per  rutto  agoHo  .prio  fii 
furo.faifarf<,uandcgagliardi.vjl  r;.4.     S  '    f'    g    P 

5n  dare  lamcdema.^  la  parte  delicojiranri.dira  cofi. 
^er^ianalincontro.dicdarea  di.taic7c.pca(Ta  .corarialuf  pptedca»cari.bcbt  dalur  fo 
jmp3ttiduc.tanri7c.apegfuofairtodemaninlib:cfo.vj|.        k.iV   %        P    g     P 

lamedana.ala  m .e  andx  per  la  precedente  f  quaderno  cofi. 

0  (To.dda  rn.die  l?auer.a  di  tal  p  ^ucaride  palcrmo  c6p:3i03  P  cuan  danto?  de  tncfina  pfa 

niontaredcductari.atatipc'.fenfarf^uandegaiardimonta.  k.ii    f         f    ?    ^ 

£o«iimo  fe  dcMa  ojdinare  el  paqamentoclx  baueflTe  a  fare  per  ditta  e  banco  f>  firiJt a  nc 

Ktuoilibn'pJtncipftfi:  *  £ap?     19. 

I  £ofip  tal  c6p?e.qfta  ri  bafta  a  guidarte.o  fia  a  tutri  cotanti'o  a  gte  cofanri.£  p 

fcrpo.  0  corati  e  ditta  o  lutri  m  banco.o  cotanti  e  bancoo  cot  ar  i.£  robbe.o  rob 

ba.e  ditta.o  tutta  ditta  0  robbe.e  tpo.o  robba  c  banco.o  bafico  c  tpo.o  baco  cdk 

ta.o  banco.cotanri.  ditta.erobbe.7c.godx  i  tutti  q(limodt.fe  cofluma  c6p:are. 


Icqli  fu  per  teal  fcfodclapcedctemetter9lclmemo:i3le.£dri^aralcigio2nale.cquademo. 

?  iiij 


54 


The  Mine  should  be  entered  in  the  Jouruftl  in  the  following  manner : 

Per  Palermo  sugar  //  A  cash.    Cash  paid  to  Mr.  Zuan  Antonio  of  Messina  for  so  many  boxes  and  so 
many  loaves,  of  the  net  weight— that  is,  without  the  boxes,  wrappers,  ropes  and  straw— so  many  pounds ;  . 
at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred,  it  amounts  to  so  many  ducats ;  I  deduct  what  is  due  to  the  Messetaria  at  so 
much  per  cent.,  so  many  ducats,  etc. ;  net  residue,  so  many  ducats,  etc.     The  broker  was  Mr.  Zuan  de  Gai- 
ardi.  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

In  the  Ledger  you  shall  make  the  entries  as  follows: 

Palermo  sugar  debit  {dee  dare  or  shall  give)  cash.  Cash  paid  to  ]\Ir.  Zuan  Antonio  of  Messnia  for  so 
many  boxes  and  so  many  loaves,  weighing,  net,  so  many  pounds,  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred,  which 
amounts  to — Page  1 :  L ,  S ,  G. P.... .^... 

And  you  shall  credit  cash  with  the  same  amount,  and  shall  always  credit  the  Messetaria  with  twice  the 
amount  which  you  withhold  from  the  price  paid  to  tlif  seller— that  is,  for  the  commission  due  by  the  seller 

and  by  you. 

Immediately  after,  you  shall  make  another  entry  crediting  the  said  office  with  the  said  sugar  and  charging 
the  said  merchandise.  This  will  do  for  a  purchase  by  cash.  Now  we  shall  consider  one  made  partly  in  cash 
and  partly  on  time. 

First,  in  the  memorandum  book  you  shall  say  as  follows :  By  cash  and  on  time  on  such  and  such  day, 
I  have  bought  on  the  said  date  of  Mr.  Zuan  Antonio  of  Messina  so  many  loaves  of  Palermo  sugar,  weighing 
net  so  many  pounds,  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred,  making  a  total  of  so  many  ducats.  This  is  in  part 
payment;  for  the  rest  I  shall  have  time  to  pay  until  the  whole  month  of  August  next,  etc.  The  broker 
was  Mr.  Zuan  Gaiardi.  ^ Cr  ,  P 

You  must  understand  that  you  do  not  need  to  have  a  written  paper  containing  the  terms  of  the  trans- 
action, for  the  broker  shall  record  that  in  the  said  Office.  This  record  is  enough  for  you,  but  as  a  precau- 
tion, sometimes  people  require  a  contract. 

You  ^vill  make  the  entry  in  the  Journal  as  follows :  First  you  shall  credit  Mr.  So-and-So  for  the  total 
amount,  and  then  charge  him  for  the  money  that  he  has  received. 

JESUS 1493 

On  such  and  such  a  day  of  such  and  such  month,  etc.,  per  Palermo  sugar  //  A  Mr.  Zuan  Antonio,  of 
Messina,  for  so  many  loaves,  weighing  net  so  many  pounds  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred,  making  a  total 
of  so  many  ducats ;  deducting  for  his  share  of  the  brokerage  at  so  much  per  cent.,  so  many  ducats,  leaving 
a  net  balance  of  so  many  ducats,  of  which  now  I  have  to  pay  so  many,  and  as  to  the  rest  I  have  time  until 
the  end  of  next  August.    The  broker  was  Mr.  Zuan  de  Gaiardi;  value        L ,  S ,  G. ..,  P 

Immediately  after,  credit  the  office  of  the  Messetaria  with  the  commission  due  to  it :  Per  ditto  //  A 
Office  of  the  Messetaria.  For  the  amount  above  mentioned — that  is,  so  many  ducats  at  the  rate  of  so  much 
per  cent,  for  my  share  and  for  the  share  of  the  debtor  (seller),  in  all  amounting  to  so  many  ducats,  grossi, 
picioli:  value:  L     _     ,  S  ,  G ,  P 

For  the  cash  payment,  you  shall  charge  him  and  credit  cash  in  the  following  manner : 

Per  Mr.  Zuan  Antonio  of  Messina  //  A  cash.  By  cash  paid  him  for  part  payment  of  said  sugar  accord- 
ing to  the  terms  of  the  transaction,  so  many  ducats,  as  it  appears  from  his  receipt  written  in  his  own  hand- 
writing.   Value :  L  ,  S ,  G ,  P 

In  the  Ledger  you  sliall  write  down  as  follows : 

Palermo  sugar  debit  {dee  dare — shall  give)  on  such  and  such  a  day  of  November,  per  Zuan  Antonio  of 
Messina,  for  so  many  loaves,  weighing  net  so  many  pounds,  etc.,  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred,  making  a 
total,  net  of  the  brokerage ;  Page  4 :  L  ,  S ,  G  ,  P 

These  items  shall  be  entered  in  the  credit  column  as  follows : 

Mr.  Zuan  Antonio  of  Messina,  credit (dfe  havere— shall  have),  per  Palermo  sugar  so  many  loaves,  weigh- 
ing net  so  many  pounds,  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred,  amounting,  net  of  the  brokerage,  so  many  ducats, 
of  which  I  must  now  pay  so  many  ducats,  and  for  the  rest  I  have  time  until  the  end  of  next  August.  Brok- 
er, Mr.  Zuan  de  Gaiardi ;  Page  4 ;  value :  L  ,  S  ,  G ,  P 

For  the  cash  payment  you  shall  put  in  the  debit  column : 

Mr.  Zuan,  debit  {dee  dare—shall  give),  on  such  and  such  a  day,  etc.,  per  cash  to  him  paid  for  part 
payment  on  sugar — I  received  from  him  according  to  our  agreement — so  many  ducats,  as  it  is  shown  by 
his  own  handwriting  in  his  book;  page  1:  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

The  account  of  the  Messetaria  in  the  Ledger  shall  be  as  follows : 

Office  ot  the  Messetaria,  credit  {dee  have  re— shall  have),  on  such  and  such  day,  per  Palermo  sugar 
bought  from  Mr.  Zuan  Antonio,  of  Messina,  for  the  amount  of  so  many  ducats,  at  so  many  ducats  per 
hundred.     Broker,  Mr.  Zuan  de  Gaiardi ;  Page,  etc. :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

CHAPTER  19. 

HOW  WE  SHOULD  MAKE  THE  ENTRIES  IN  OUR  PRINCIPAL  BOOKS  OF  THE  PAYMENTS 
THAT  WE  HAVE  TO  MAKE  EITHER  BY  DRAFT  OR  THROUGH  THE  BANK. 

And  as  to  the  purchases,  this  should  be  sufficient  to  guide  you,  whether  the  payment  of  the  purchase 
should  be  made  all  in  cash  or  part  in  cash  and  part  on  time ;  or  part  in  cash  or  part  by  bill  of  exchange  or 
draft  {ditto)  ;  or  all  through  the  bank;  or  part  in  cash  and  part  through  the  bank;  or  part  through  the 
bank  and  part  on  time ;  or  part  through  the  bank  and  part  by  bill  of  exchange ;  or  part  through  the  bank, 
part  in  cash,  part  by  bill  of  exchange  and  part  by  merchandise,  etc. 

For  in  all  these  ways  it  is  customary  to  make  purchases,  and  in  each  case  you  shall  make  entries,  first 
in  the  Day  Book,  then  in  the  Journal,  then  in  the  Ledger,  taking  as  a  guide  the  foregoing  example. 

55 


©(  (h'nrtio  nona.Tracfahie.xI'.Sc  (mptiine. 
(t>ii  ccio  bai'-sJfar  pagamctoa  ptc  b5co  cdltta.f  a  cb  p'.cofcgni  (a  Atta.f  poig  rc^fc1iJf  r 
bancappiu  ftgurra.vndcancoza  qftacautclla  fufa  p  molnebcne.(rdobcn  pagaflcro  aeon 
tflim-dc  far  per  refto  m  band^o.  £  p  copito  pagamcto  7C.£  pagandolo  ptcbanco  ptc.  rob 
ba  parte  dinacparrccotantiJctuttcqftc  faralowbirojcfqllctalcorc  farale  mditriei 
ocnuna  al  fuc  luoro  7C.£  fc per altri  modi  tc aeadelTe  coprare.per  fimai  te  goiicrna.  ic 

£  hauedo  mff  fo  clucrfo  t\  eoprare  ^  rantt  ucrfi  pjcdcrai  clvcdcrc  tuo  adalrri.  faecdoM 
ceb'to:i  c  err  ditnri  Icnic  robbc.  fE  debitrid  lacaJTa.fe  ti  da  contanric  dbitrici  le  difrcfc  tc  Ic 
cofcgna  in  pagflmcto.£  crcdiro:e.d baneo.fe  tel  da.  £ cofidi nirto p oajiiie  eoc  difop?a  t 
ditto  rM  eop?flre.£ (uidc  rutto  qllo ri da.iu  pagamcro faralo  creditOTC^c.eqfto  tibadi  s q 
fta  materia  a  nia  inrtructioe  7C.  Dele  pn'te  famofc  e  pticulari  nd  maneggio  traft'cate  eoc 
fono  baratti  copagnic  tc.eoc  le  fe  babbino  a  fettarc  c  o:diiiare  ndi  lib.n  maea  tefcbi.  e  p'.  o 
libarattt fcplideopoftie eoltpo eo apriercpUo turn i memo:iale.<;o2nale e qder".  £3.;o. 

— I  £(^ra.ooiicr  r»ar  modo.coe  fe  babino  aferrar  alefie  pn'tc  famofc  ptieulari.  eb  nc 

limancggij  traficati  fifogliano  dpiut>clevolfc.foleui^re.£  nietterle  oapTe  .ano 
oi  qllc  Billintte  ofllaltre.fene  poffa  cogiiofcere.d  ^  z  rono  6x  oiqllc  feq(Tc.e»5e 

,^ I  fono fibaratrie (eeopag^.vuggi recomadan.viaggi i fua mano.eonnTHoe batm 

tcpaltri.bandjioeferitta.o  verooinaXabireali.oiHieoto  ocbotega  7C.  oclcqli  4  fequcrc 

fucdtametc  a  tiia  balion^fl.tc  caro  nonna.coc  le  dcW  giiicvare.c  reggere  ndi  ttioi  I(b:i  ojdi 

natamcte.aeio  no  tc  abagli  in  tuc  faecde.£  p'.moft?aremo  eoc  fc  ocbia  afettarc  i '.  barat to. 

;$'6nolib3rarrie6munamctcOc.?.fonccccoifop:a  inleraaiofooetto.  &iftfetio.o*.'£.  y,". 

carti.i  6i  .fin  in.  t67.flpieno  (iAycM  rtcoiri  a  itendcrli.     bko  adoea  elx  in  ruttiiiierfiebe  tc 

ueadciffe  fcriue  re  i  lib"  d  baratto.fepzc  puramcrc.p\iii  lo  meino?ialc  oebi  narrarlo  ad  Ifam. 

Oct°.orfaptit3c6 tutrifuomodiccondirioidjd firallato fatto.ceodufo.o  comceani.  ofra 

voi  foli.£  qrdo^^arai  eofi  n3rrato.£  ru  poi  alafinc riduralo  i  fu  lie6fanti.'£  fo  cbc  qllc  tal 

robbc  iicdcr  aiuaicrc.a  eotawti p  tato tirarai  fo:a  lapti'.aebc  moncta  fi voglia  imcmo:ialc. 

cbcnon  fa  cafo.podx  pot  d  qdernier<  la  redura  tutta  a  i  ^fojta  alauterico.eioe  qpdo  lamet 

tara  al  giojnalc.  £  al  qdemo  grade  7c.£  qflo  ft  fa  pdx  eauado  ru  fo2i  le  ralute  nelc  robbc 

a  qld^c  ti  ftanno  3ba:atto.n6  pon-efti  neli  ruoieori.e  feriptiire.eognofeene  ic^z  gridiflTcna 

riffi'culra.tuo  rtilc.o  vcro gditta  fequita.icqlifcprceouicfi  rcdurca  eotanti.  ^  volerlc  ben 

tPgnoiecrc.TC.     £  fc  oi  tali  merearic  bauurc  g  baratti:  wIcflT  Dapte  ptieiriarmctc  tcncrnc 

coto)^  poder  reder  il  fuo  rctratto.fepatamcte  na  lalt^robbe  cJx  oital  fo.^t  a  f?3uclTc.p'.in  ea 

fa.o  c\k  oapoi  eop?a(Te.p  cognofecre qual  fia  Oata  meglio:e  iccpta.lo  poi  fare.  £  acoja  aeii 

ttiularctuttcmereaticinficmi.eoefc  l?auefl■e.p^^;cn^criDatc.£bo:aqflircccuc(Ti  od  barat 

to  li  quail  volcrmcttereon  lialtri.nd  ^ojnal  oiraicofi.e<oc. 

^r^c^eribellidi  imotc.overo  in  colli:  3  enearioclatalfona^c.g  colli  tantipefano.  S  ta 

tc  baui  Dal  tal  abaratto  oc  <,iieari  fatto  i  qfta  foztna.a'oc  cbc  mi  li  mifi  el  c'.oe  ^ueari  duc. 

24.7c.eo  qfto  dx  mi  oeflTc  c  I  j.oe  eontanti  7C.£  mrttcfc  d  e?  Vfi  ^c^erf  ouctanti.  p  liqiiali 

gn5m".lie6ti(;ueari.panf.n'4:anti.pcfanStanrccl?eaeontantidc°valouc.io.  £plioitri 

CcnearindTbc8tante7c.panin°.tanti7c.vaglianod3feuno.  S        f    g    p 

lE  Bcbcfllc  volte  no  f3p?ai.a  poro  lo  n*.odi  pani-dx  p  oitti  ec<,eri  intralTe  no  fa  eafo.  po  e5 

poi  ncla  pti'ta  feqntc.fifuplcffi  ql  d?e  limaneaffcc  ql  d>e  li  folTc  piu  i  qlla  Mi  eafft.maen' 

ra  no  OT'mcno.alincotro  oc  ^ueari  Icpjc.barai  d  ooucrc  aponto.pcbc  tutte  oua.vano  a  eu  • 

can  i  modo  dx  laptita  oc  ^ucari  non  pdc  d  n?  oc  pani.nc  oil  pefo.pdx  no  e  fcpje  polTibi 

Ic  t)ogni  frafdxtta.ofl  pfe  tener  e6to.7c.©2a  01  qlla  pte  oceotanti  dx  vi  fono  eojfi.fara  • 

nc  ocbftriei  laeaHa.  £  pure  el  finnlc.crediron"  Oim  OJcari.oicendo  co^Uioc. 

#cr  caffa:  U  li oitti  7L  ifocr  contanri bcbind  oitro  baratto.oal  otito  7c.per  pam  n°.  ran' 

t(7c.pefano  j.fanteval.  S        J"    g     P 

£.  (Tmili  ptitc  fubito  qlli  mettano  f  mediate  wd  gioznalc  a  pITo  qlla  od  baratto.  nd  cjl  bnnc' 

fliliconti  7c.fi  dx  a  qfJo  modo  oittarcfti'.non  volendone  tcner  feparato  con  to.  d^afc  k 

parsrolouoitcncr  nel  gio:nale  oiraicoft'.rioe. 

l^cr  ^en^eri bdlidi.  per  (onto  oi  bazatto  febbcro  oal  tale  7c:  3  iueari  7c.  n«rr:indo  nirto. 
poiapontoeommooirop:a.£in  loquadcrno.poiljarano  lojo  parnta.  oiftinaa  7c.  £ 
qucfto  uo  glio  dx  ti  b^fti.per  tutti  li  flltri  baratti  dx  fo  per  tc  fen^a  piu  mi  flenda .  lif  jpa 
•■aiguidarc7c. 

bc'laln-a  partita  famofa  oitra  £ompagnic:<ommcrcoebjno  oxJinare.e  OMtarc  in  tutti 
rimo4ioceurcnrimei8fcunolib:o.  £ap".  21. 


56 


But  when  you  make  a  payment  part  through  the  bank  and  part  by  bill  of  exchange,  deliver  first  the 
bill  of  exchange  and  then  settle  through  the  bank,  which  is  safer.  Many  observe  this  precaution  on  good 
grounds,  whenever  they  have  to  make  payments  part  in  cash  to  settle  this  balance  through  the  bank,  etc. 
If  you  make  payments  part  through  the  bank,  part  by  trading  something  or  part  by  a  bill  of  exchange  and. 
part  in  cash,  you  shall  charge  the  seller  for  all  these  things  and  you  shall  credit  each  of  the  said  things,  each 
thing  in  its  own  place. 

Now  that  you  know  how  to  go  ahead  whenever  you  make  purchases,  you  will  also  know  what  you  have 
to  do  when  you  sell.  In  this  ease,  you  shall  charge  the  different  buyers  and  shall  credit  the  different  goods 
that  you  sell  and  shall  charge  cash  if  you  get  money  for  the  same,  and  you  shall  charge  bills  of  exchange 
if  you  get  a  bill  of  exchange  in  payment,  and  credit  the  latter  when  the  bank  pays  the  exchange. 

Therefore,  referring  again  to  the  purchase,  you  shall  credit  the  purchaser  with  all  that  he  gives  you 
in  pajTnent,  etc. 

This  will  be  enough  for  your  instruction  on  this  subject. 

CHAPTER  20. 

ENTRIES  FOR  THE  WELL-KNOWN  AND  PECULIAR  MERCANTILE  CUSTOMS  OF  TRAD- 
ING AND  PARTNERSHIP,  ETC.  HOW  THEY  SHOULD  BE  ENTERED  IN  THE  MERCANTILE 
BOOKS.  FIRST :  SIMPLE  TRADINGS,  THEN  COMPLEX  TRADINGS  AND  EXAMPLES  OF  EN- 
TRIES FOR  THEM  IN  THE  MEMORANDUM  BOOK,  JOURNAL  AND  LEDGER. 

Now  we  shall  speak  of  how  certain  well-known  and  peculiar  entries  should  be  made  which  are  of  the 
highest  importance  in  commerce,  and  which  usually  are  kept  separate  from  the  others  so  that  they  can  show 
their  respective  profits  and  losses  {pro  e  danno).  They  cover  tradings,  partnerships,  suggested  business 
trips,  trips  on  your  own  ventures,  commissions  from  others,  drafts  {ditta)  or  bills  of  exchange  {bancha 
descritta),  actual  trades,  store  accounts,  etc.  I  will  tell  you  briefly  about  these  accounts,  how  you  should 
make  the  entries  in  your  books  so  that  you  don't  get  mixed  up  in  your  affairs. 

First,  we  shall  show  how  to  enter  a  trade  {barato).  Trades  are  usually  of  three  kinds,  as  we  said  in 
Section  9  of  Treatise  III,  Pages  161  to  167,  where  it  is  stated  fully  and  you  can  refer  to  it. 

I  say,  therefore,  that  no  matter  how  you  make  a  record  of  the  trade  in  your  books,  you  shall  first  enter 
it  in  the  memorandum  book,  stating  in  detail  aU  about  it,  its  terms  and  conditions  and  whether  it  was  made 
through  a  broker.  After  you  have  so  described  it,  you  then  at  the  end  shall  put  a  money  value  on  it ;  and 
you  shall  put  down  such  price  in  accordance  with  the  current  value  which  the  things  that  you  have  traded 
have ;  reckoning  in  any  kind  of  money  in  the  memorandum  book.  Afterwards  the  bookkeeper,  when  he 
transfers  the  entry  to  the  Journal  and  Ledger,  will  reduce  that  money  to  the  standard  money  that  you  have 
adopted. 

This  is  done  because,  without  entering  the  value  of  the  things  that  you  have  traded,  you  could  not, 
from  your  books  and  accounts,  learn,  except  with  great  difficulty,  what  your  profit  or  loss  is.  The  mer- 
chandise must  always  be  reduced  to  actual  money  value  in  order  to  take  care  of  it  (in  the  books). 

You  may  keep  a  separate  account  of  the  goods  received  in  trade,  if  you  wish  to  do  that,  in  order  to 
know  how  much  you  make  out  of  them  separate  from  those  of  the  same  kind  that  you  might  already  have 
at  home,  or  separate  from  those  that  you  might  get  after  that,  in  order  to  know  which  was  the  best  transac- 
tion. You  also  may  keep  only  one  account  of  all  the  goods — for  instance,  if  you  have  already  some  ginger, 
and  you  get  some  more  ginger  through  a  trade.  In  this  case  you  shall  make  the  entries  in  the  Journal  as 
follows : 

Per  Ginger  in  bulk  or  in  packages  //  A  sugar,  such  and  such  kind,  so  many  packages,  weighing  so 
many  pounds.  Received  from  a  trade  for  sugar  in  this  manner :  I  valued  the  sugar  24  ducats  per  hundred, 
of  which  I  should  receive  one-third  in  cash,  and  I  valued  the  ginger  at  so  many  ducats  per  hundred.  The 
said  sugar  is  in  so  many  loaves  weighing  so  many  pounds,  worth  20  ducats  per  hundred,  and  for  the  said 
ginger  I  received  so  many  pounds  of  sugar  and  so  many  loaves,  and  their  value  is : 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

And  if  you  do  not  know  exactly  how  many  loaves  of  sugar  you  have  received  for  the  said  ginger,  it 
does  not  matter,  because  you  may  correct  the  mistake  in  the  following  entry,  whether  the  mistake  was 
made  plus  or  minus,  or  correct  it  through  the  cash  entry.  On  the  contrary,  you  know  exactly  the  weight 
and  money  value,  and  you  lose  nothing  in  either  by  not  knowing  the  number  of  loaves.  It  is  not  always 
possible  to  keep  an  account  of  aU  small  details. 

Now  you  vnW  debit  cash  for  whatever  cash  you  received,  and  you  shall  credit  sugar  in  the  following 
manner : 

Per  Cash  //  A  ditto.  In  the  said  trade  I  received  cash  from  so  and  so  for  so  many  loaves  of  sugar 
weighing  so  many  pounds ;  value  :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

You  shall  record  in  the  Journal  direct  all  these  different  items  soon  after  the  trade  is  made,  and  should 
take  the  name  of  the  merchandise  if  you  do  not  want  to  keep  a  separate  account ;  but  if  you  want  to  keep 
them  in  a  separate  account,  you  will  write  this  way  in  the  Journal : 

Per  ginger  hdlidi  received  by  trade  from  so  and  so,  etc.  //  A  sugar,  etc.,  stating  everything  as  sho%vn 
above.    In  the  Ledger  then  they  will  have  separate  accounts. 

This  will  be  sufficient  for  you  for  all  kinds  of  trades. 

CHAPTER  21. 

THE  OTHER  WELL-KNOWN  ENTRY  CALLED  PARTNERSHIP.  HOW  IT  SHOULD  BE 
WRITTEN  IN  EACH  BOOK  IN  THE  PROPER  MANNER. 

57 


©I'ftfnctio  nom  Iractatas-ri*.  ©e  fcripmrifl  joy 

BUra  pamta  fainofa  c  b  c6p'.c5co  alciJo  facdTc  p  ragioc  diqiudx  cola  ft  fa 
cclTc  0  di  panniodcfctcc  dcfpenanco  dcgorrdicdcrcto?ia  odccabitc.Ouc 
lie  rail fimitiTcpjc  uogliaofuapntaffgataitumli.^iiMdcin  ^clp?noc  inc/ 
mo^iafe  pofto  djcta  Iwraicl  di  di  fop:a  narrarala  feplirimctc  turra  con  modi  c 
coditioi  cP»  fauctc  fatra  aIcgan?fcnpto  ouer  altro  illro  cf5  fra  uoi  foUce  noiando  el  tpo^to 
lafmtcdcrc  di  d?c  faculfa  fi  fa  di fattori  e gar^onidx  faucfie  a  tcnr re  7C.e  qudlo  cbc  merte 
ciafcii  pcrfc  o  dc  robba  o  de  i>.7c.o  debUo2\  o  creditoji  e  di  tutro  a  vno  a  vno  farane  credi 
tonli  cop'  ogniidi  ql  tanro  cbc  mctfc  da  pfc  cdcbt'tricila  cafla  -o  la  dca  cop'.fc  da  perfe  (a 

<;uidaftpfaqltc"cc 

ficggto^mcbiiga: . ,-.  

c6nio  al  piltc  oicemo  cd  fi  cbiamao  fainofc  B  ccr  fcj^arc  ra  tutte  lalt'.D  Ic  qli  cj  te  oo  el  mo 
fiicciro  como  laW  adittarc  i  tuo  mcorialc  c  oipoi  i  gio:nale  c  qdcr no  tc.  ulfba  rcncdo  di  lei 
Ifiy.fcpati  no  ti  no  aft^oocuinto  fcno  eft  liguidi  fi  como  rf  rotto  el  tuo  rrafico  c  oco.  Dirolf a 
cofi  ime'.  5"  qfto  oi  biamo  fco  cop*.c6  M  tali  c  tali  alartc  6  la  I  ana  Tcco  pacri  e  coditio 
wi'Tc.como  age  p  fcripto  o  iftfo  "Jcg  ani  tati  tcxinde  el  tal  ocjfe  corari  tati  TC.lalt?  ballc 
ratclanafrac'.pefa  netra  S:.tatc  TC.mclTacdtoDuctaridmfTC.eUiltfafeg^tativeri  oebito 
ri.cibc el  tal  w i)uc.tflti.el  tal  re  tanti  7c.e  cofi  io  fbo:fai  6 pffte  ouc.tati  7c.e  ^o  \  fiiima;  tuc 
to  d  coj.ouc.rari  tc-iiioi  in  tuo  gio:na!e  Dirai  l  qfto  mado  afettado  tutte  cofe  a  fuo  lubgo 
I'magina  V.caflTa  zJcompagnia-cvncaucdal Dic6'.ccofia  tutre  lepn'recB  tu  njcttcraioi'rai 
(?p:e  p  ioto  t  ?p*.ario  laW  acognofcere  Oalt'.toi  ptite  pticulari  iU  p^pmo  fcfti  da  la  caf 
facomc^araiepoifMccefliuamenfeafcttarailaltrf.  l^ercafla  oc  conipagnia.aI  tale  Dcra/ 
doji  DC  compagnia  acio  fe  l?aue(Tc  altriconticon  tcco  non  fimpadno  tc.per  conranri  m^ 
k'X  qfto  Di  p  la  lua  rata.2  ?li  nfi  pacti*  como  apare  p  ^cti^o  oiitr  iftfo  7C.val  S .  P.  g?  p. 
•pox  fimilmcte  dirai  de  le  robbe  d?c  ba  jio  melTe  cofi.  i&er  lana  franc'.de  la  c6p^al  taleg 
balletantepcfanonrtteinitto  S.tantefocotadaco.'do  con  tuttiducari  tanti  el  ni^fecondo 
fa  foz'.ddcotratto  ouer  fcripto  fra  noi7CJiiotaicuttODUc.7C.valS.  f-  g?  p.  £cofi9n 
darfli  poncdo  tutte.pli  debito:i  cofegnati  Dirai  cofi.  i!i)cr  lo  tale  de  ragio  de  cop^  Bl  talc 
ql  fecodo  nfi  pacri  ci  cofegno  p  n^ro  dcbito:e  de  ductanti  val  %.  f .  tt?  p.  Bi  mai 
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troppo  fcria  auolcrte  ogni  cofa  di  nuoiio  rcplicarc.£  po  del  inodo  de  metterle  al  qdcruo 
grandc  no  ne  dico  perdx  fo  tc  fia  facile  cognofccdo  gia  tu  in  lo  giomale  ql  ua  debitoje  cql 
credito:c.ficbe  afettarale  tu  i  dare  e  l?3uerc  in  qudmodo  d?e  di  fopja  i  quefto  tc  ifcgnai  a 
ca?i ??c dcpenaralc i gio:nalec6mo difllidifopja al ca?i 2?poncdofcp:e denan^e  i  marginc 
M  niicri  del  debito?e  ccredif02e:a  opte  earn  libaraipolti  al  libro.e  cofi  como  tu  li  metti  al  \v 
bv>  grandctcofi  li  afetta  \  alfabeto  como  di  fopza  piufiade  l>anenio  moftro  ti. 

be  Io:dine  de  le  prite  de  n'afaina  fpefaicomo  decafa  oMinarietftraozdinarietcdi  mcr' 
canrietfaiarii  de  garijoni  e  facton  como  fabtno  a  fcriuerc.e  dittare  nelli  lib2L  £9?i2. 

Oltra  tUttclc  cofe  ditte  re  ouienc  l>auere  i  tutti  toi  libzi  qfte  ptite.doc  Ipefi  d  mer 
atia  fpefide  cafa  o:diarie  fpcfe  rtraordiane  vna  de  itrata  e  vfdra  e  vna  de  p?o  e 
dano  0  uoi  dircauaniii  c  difaul^'  o  unlc  e  datio  o  guadagno  c  pdita  cbc  rato  va 
Ic  le  qli  ptitc  fono  fumamcte  JiecdTanc  i  ogni  co:po  mcrcatcfco  p  potcre  fempx 
cognofcerc  fuo  capitalcc  ala  fine  nd  fatdo  como  gctra  d  traft'co  tc.le  qli  (jTcqnte  abalbn/ 
^a  d?iarircino  como  fc  debino  giiidare  ndlilibji.  Ondc  qlla  de  fpcfe  mercatefdx  fi  rcne 
p  rifpecto  d?c  no  1cp?c  ognipcluco  IT  po  mettere  fubito  i  la  piita  de  la  robba  d3C  tu  ucndi  o 
c6p:icomo  acade cbc  da  poi  piu  dip  qlla  ricouerra  pagjre fadM'ni  e  pcfado:i e  ligadozi  c 
barca.cbaftagi.c fimilia cbi  vn  foIdo.adM'.i.tc.de Ic qli'volcdonc fare  pticular prita  fereb 
be  logo  e  no  mcritanola  fpcfa  podxdc  mim'mia  no  curat  pro?  7C.£  aco:a  acade  dxtua' 
dop?arai  qlli  medcfimi baftagi.fad^ini.barca.c  legatozi  i  vn  poro  p  piu  diucrfe  cofe  como 
Irtruenc.cb i  fi  t>6ro  fcarcadoocarcado  diuerfe  fo:te  mcrclrie  li  afattigarfli e  tu  li  pagbi p 
tutre  a  vn  rrarto  dx  no  potrefti  a  ogni  mercatia  caratrare  lafua  fpefa.f  po  nafci  qflapti/ 
ta  cbiamara  fpefe  dc  jucrcatia  la  ql  fcp«:  fla  acefa  i  dare  como  tutte  lalrre  (pcU  fano  ic^ala 
rij  ancoja  de  faaon'  c  gar^oni  de botega  fi  merrano  i  qlle  e  alcuni  ne  fa  ptira  ifo  polr a  p  fa 
pere  i  dim"  cbc  Ipcdano  lano  tc.c  poi  i  qfta  la  faldanotcbc  p  niij  mo  no polTano  eflTere  crc/ 
dimd:c  $do  cofi  le  trouallTferia  erro:e  nel  lib:a£  pero  i  mcmonalc  el  dirai  cofi. 

5n  qucrto  dibabtan  pagato  abaftafi  barcarolilig3dort.pcfado:i  7c.cbcarcaro  c  fcarca 
ro  itk  tali  c  tali  cofe  tc.duc.tanti  7C, 

1^   im 


58 


The  other  well-known  entry  is  the  buying  of  anything  in  partnership  {compra  or  compagnie — may 
also  mean  joint  venture  but  not  corporation)  with  other  people,  such  as  silks,  spices,  cotton,  dyes,  or 
money  exchanges,  etc.  These  accounts  must  all  be  entered  in  all  three  books  separately  from  your  own.. 
In  the  first,  that  is,  the  memorandum  book,  after  writing  down  the  date  at  the  top,  you  shall  state  in  a 
simple  way  all  the  purchases  with  terms  and  conditions,  referring  to  papers  or  other  instruments  that 
you  might  have  made,  stating  for  how  long  it  was  made  and  what  were  its  objects,  mentioning  the  em- 
ployes and  apprentices  that  you  should  keep,  etc.,  and  the  share,  and  how  much  each  of  you  puts  in 
the  business,  whether  in  goods  or  cash,  etc.,  who  are  the  debtors  and  who  are  the  creditors.  You  should 
credit  the  partners  (compratori)  for  the  amount  which  each  of  them  contributes,  and  you  shall  debit  cash  with 
the  same  if  you  keep  the  account  with  your  own.  But  it  is  better  for  the  business  if  you  keep  this  cash 
account  separate  from  your  private  one  when  you  are  the  one  at  the  head  of  the  business,  in  which  ease 
you  should  have  a  separate  set  of  books  in  the  same  order  and  way  we  have  shown  previously.  This  will 
facilitate  things  for  you.  However,  you  might  keep  all  these  accounts  in  your  own  personal  books  open- 
ing new  accounts  which,  as  we  have  said,  are  referred  to  as  well-known  accounts  because  they  are  kept  sep- 
arate from  all  the  others,  and  I  will  show  here  how  to  enter  them  in  your  Day  Book  and  then  in  the  Jour- 
nal and  Ledger — but  if  you  keep  separate  books,  I  will  not  give  you  any  further  instruction,  because 
what  I  have  said  so  far  will  be  sufficient  for  you — you  shall  do  as  follows :  On  this  day  we  have  made  a 
contract  with  so  and  so,  and  so  and  so,  jointly,  to  buy  (facto  compra)  wool,  etc.,  under  terms  and  condi- 
tions, etc.,  as  appears  from  such  and  such  paper  or  such  and  such  instrument,  for  so  many  years,  etc.  So 
and  so  put  in  as  his  share,  so  much  in  cash ;  the  other  put  so  many  bales  of  French  wool,  weighing  net  so 
many  pounds,  etc.,  estimated  at  so  many  ducats  per,  etc.  The  third,  so  and  so,  put  in  so  many  credits, 
namely,  one  for  so  many  ducats,  etc. 

Then,  in  the  Journal,  putting  everything  in  its  own  place,  yoii  shall  imagine  that  you  have  a  partner- 
ship's cash  (cassa  de  compagnia)  and  a  partnership's  capital  (cavcdalc  dc  compngnia)  ;  so  that  in  each  en- 
try you  make,  you  shall  always  name  the  accounts  of  the  partnership  so  that  you  can  distinguish  them  from 
your  own  entries.     First,  you  make  the  cash  entry,  and  then  follow  it  systematically  by  the  other  entries : 

Per  Partnership  cash  //  A  such  and  such  partner's  account — so  that  if  you  have  other  accounts,  you 
will  not  get  confused — so  and  so  put  in  on  this  day  as  his  share  according  to  our  agreement  as  appears  from 
the  contract,  etc. ;  value :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

Then  you  shall  mention  the  other  things  that  they  have  contributed : 

Per  French  wool  //  A  partner's  account,  for  so  many  bales  weighing  in  total,  net,  so  many  pounds,  as 
examined  by  all  of  us,  at  so  many  ducats  per  bushel,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  contract  we  have  made, 
etc.,  worth  in  total  so  many  ducats ;  value :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

And  so  on  for  the  other  different  items,  and  as  to  the  due  bills  which  have  been  put  in  the  Company, 
you  shall  state  this  way: 

Per  Mr.  So  and  So,  Partnership's  account  //  A  so  and  so,  according  to  our  agreement,  which  so  and  so 
transferred  to  the  Partnership  as  a  good  due  bill  of  so  many  ducats:      L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

Now  that  I  have  given  you  a  kind  of  introduction  to  these  new  entries,  I  won't  go  any  further,  as  it 
would  be  a  very  tiresome  thing  to  repeat  all  I  have  said. 

And  I  will  not  say  anything  as  to  the  way  in  which  to  make  these  entries  in  the  Ledger,  as  I  know  it  will 
be  easy  for  you  to  know  what  should  be  entered  as  debit  and  what  as  credit  from  the  Journal.  You  shall 
enter  them  accordingly  as  I  have  told  you  at  Chapter  15,  and  shall  cancel  these  entries  in  the  Journal  as 
T  told  you  at  Chapter  12,  always  writing  in  the  margin  just  opposite  them  the  number  of  the  debit  and 
credit  pages  of  the  Ledger,  and  as  you  enter  them  in  the  Ledger  you  shall  also  enter  them  in  the  index,  as 
I  have  told  you  repeatedly  before. 

CHAPTER  22. 

REGARDING  THE  ENTRIES  OF  EVERY  KIND  OF  EXPENSE,  AS  FOR  INSTANCE  HOUSE- 
HOLD EXPENSES,  ORDINARY  OR  EXTRAORDINARY,  MERCANTILE  EXPENSES,  WAGES  OF 
CLERKS  AND  APPRENTICES.     HOW  THEY  SHOULD  BE  ENTERED  IN  THE  BOOKS. 

Besides  the  entries  so  far  mentioned,  you  shall  open  these  accounts  in  your  books :  that  is,  mercantile 
expenses,  ordinary  household  expenses,  extraordinary  expenses,  and  account  for  what  is  cashed  in  (en- 
trata)  and  what  is  paid  out  [usciia)  ;  one  for  profits  and  loss  (pro  e  danno — favor  and  damages)  or  (avan- 
zi  r  desavanzi — increase  and  deficit),  or  (utile  e  daniio — -profit  and  damage)  or  (gvadagno  e  pcrdita — gain 
and  loss),  which  accounts  are  very  necessary  at  any  time  so  that  the  merchant  can  always  know  what  is 
his  capital  and  at  the  end  when  he  figures  up  the  closing  (soldo),  how  his  business  is  going. 

I  will  show  here  clearly  enough  how  these  accounts  should  be  kept  in  the  books.  The  account  named 
"small  business  expenses"  is  kept  because  we  can  not  enter  every  little  thing  in  the  account  of  the  mer- 
chandise that  you  sell  or  buy.  For  instance,  it  may  happen  that  after  a  few  days,  for  these  goods  tliat  you 
sell  or  buy,  you  will  have  to  pay  the  porter,  the  weigher,  the  packer,  the  shipper  and  the  driver,  and  oth- 
ers, paying  to  this  one  one  penn}',  to  the  other  one  two  pennies,  etc. ;  if  you  want  to  keep  a  separate  ac- 
count for  each  of  these  different  transactions,  it  would  be  too  long  and  too  expensive.     As  the  proverb  says: 

De  minimis  non  curat  Praetor  (OflBcials  do  not  bother  with  details).  And  it  may  be  that  you  will  have  to  em- 
ploy those  same  people — drivers,  porters,  shippers  and  packers — for  different  things,  as,  for  Instance,  you  may  need 
them  for  loading  the  several  merchandises  in  a  seaport,  and  you  will  employ  them  and  will  have  to  pay  them  for  all 
these  services  at  one  time,  and  you  could  not  charge  the  several  kinds  of  merchandise  with  its  proportion  of  these  ex- 
penses. Therefore  you  open  this  account  which  is  called  "small  business  expenses,"  which  is  always  used  in  the 
debit  as  are  all  the  other  expenses.  You  enter  in  this  account  the  salaries  of  your  store  employes,  although  some  keep 
a  separate  account  of  the  salaries  that  they  pay  so  that  they  know  how  much  they  pay  for  salaries  every  year,  etc. 
This  should  also  always  appear  as  a  debit.  If  the  account  should  be  in  credit,  this  would  show  that  there  is  a  mistake. 
Therefore  you  shall  say  as  follows  in  the  memorandum  book: 

On  this  day  we  have  paid  to  drivers,  shippers,  packers,  weighers,  etc.,  who  loaded  and  unloaded  such  and  such 
goods,  BO  many  ducats,  etc.; 

59 


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ba(lagico:dceligaron'(3ckfarcorci*mrtoOuc.tari'?c.valS-  i'.  gt  p.      Jnloqderno 
Wrauofi.     ^pcfiDinercariaoicoarcadiraripcaflrarc.valR.  S.  f.  g?  p.   Ciudlao 
k  fixfi  PI  cAfa  ojdmaric  no  fi  po  far ren«;a.£  ircndanfe fpcfi oi cafa  02din3ric:c6mo  fo2mc 
ri:vini:fcgnc:ogli:r3le:carnc:fcarpct«5-opdli  facture  oc  vcft€:giupponi:caI(tC:e  farroji  7c.bc 
ucracgi:bfljefhte:mancc:oucr  boncinani  7C.barbicri:fo?naro:aquaruoli:lauatare  oc  pan 
ni* Tcfnafaric occocina  vafi.bicbicri.e ucm:wtrifeabi.nuliclli.botri 7C.I>auega  dx  mol' 
ri  oe  fitmfi  mafaric  vfino  tencr  conro  fcparato  per  potcr  pjcfto  rrouar  fuocoio  c  fano  gtita 
noua.c6mo  acoza  ni  poi  fare  no  c\x  oi  qftc  nia  oiqualucbc  alrra  ri  parra,nia  lo  te  amaeitro 
t»i  qudic  d?cl  traficc  no  po  far  fcn(a  7c.c  tal  prir a  oi  fpcfi  oi  cafa  Oittarala  ft  como  i  omo 
ocqudia  DC  la  mcrdriai  fccodo  d?c  tu  vaiftccdo  fpcfc  groflc  adi  p  oi  inetri  in  li  litoiconi 
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poter  poi  alali'ne  oe  lanno  o  a  fcpo  p  rpo  fadlmenre  faperc  quato  oe  tali  cofumano  7c.  ma 
perfe  fpdipiccole  como  f6noanienutoc6p:3rfarnecpefs.i:bart?iericrraglx:ttifinol  ro::c 
o  rno  oiicr  ooi  ouca  vn  tratto  c  fncriioa  parte  in  vno  kdxtto  c  oi  qudli  andar  fpededo 
fl  incnuro.'ifi'erdx  no  feria  pcf(Mi  a  vna  a  vna  oi  tali  tcner  conto.£  cofi  oicano  per  Iicon 
tantiingio:riaIe.    "^er  fpcfi  oi  cafa.  Bcafla  qUtrafll  per  fpendcrcamenuto  in  vno  facbet 
toouc.rantf7c.val.S.  f.  g?  p.       £  poi  fc-tipareancoja  con  qucftc  fpcfi  oe  cafa  meter 
ui  le  fpcfi  ftrao?dinaric  d?enon  facafo.cdmo  quado  fpendefle  per andarcafol3«,\o:ejg  tra 
cere  aiarco  o  balertro  c  altri  giod?io  perditc  c\k  a  c  afcalTero  c  pdelTe  robbc  o  oenan  o  d>  tc 
foflero  toltc  o  pcrdeffe  in  maVc  o  per  fuod?i7c.d?e  tiitti  fimili  finicndano  fpcfc  ItraoMina ' 
rie.     l€  ouali  anco?a  fc  Ic  vdi  tcncreoa  partcfimifmcntc  lo  poi  fare  c  inoW  lufano  per  fa 
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ni  e  p?erentidx  tu  faceffe  adalcunoper  aloma  cagionc  7c6  le  quali  fpcfc  non  mi  euro  piu 
dm  ftcndcrmc  perod?e  fo  ccrro  cbc  tu  per  te  ineglio  ozmai  bauendo  amenfc  Ic  cofe  (kac 
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fctiarc  le  partite  ce  vna  botcga  fi  nd  tuo'quadcrnox  lilMio:dinari?:c6mo  fc  tu  la  voleiTe  te 
ncr  tu  oa  te  como  larefh  a  tenerc  cbc  fia  bdla  cofa  a  faperc  ficbcootalc. 

2>c  lo:dinc  c  mo  a  fap  tcner  vn  coto  oe  bDtcga^i  tua  maa  0  adaltri  rccomadata  e  cdnio 
le  dcbino  ndli  liba'  aufcntiddd  patrone  eancbe  in  qudh'  oe  botega  fg>araiameiite  fcriuer^ 
edittare.  capi,25. 

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fozmrla  D  uafi.caldicri.ramini.da  lauojarc  7c.di'  qh'  rutti  farM  debirrid  o  cdui  cbe  li  attc- 
de  como  ditto.c  p  bello  juftario  li  Icafcgiia  fcnpro  6  fua  mao  odaltri  d  fua  uoluta  7c.  ado 
ai  tmom  becbi3ro.eqflo  voglio  fia  baftate  qpdo  la  borcaa  baudfe  confeanata  a  vnaltro 
d?  p  tc  la  mm  o  folTc  tuo  cdme((o  jL  €^  k  la  dca  botcga  vo:?ai  tcncf  a  moi  mai  q  Ho  oj 
die marai c  ftara  bcncc mcnamo  cD c6p:ie  traficbi tutto p  la  ditta  botcga e  no  baui  alt? 
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n  dM  te  da  (c  robbc  per  tanto  tem  po  fc  compji'  a  tempo  c  crcditrici  la  calTa  fc  comp?i  a  coii' 
tanti  cdcbitricila  bofcga.£  quando  tu  vcnddfe  a  menuto  cioc  dx  non  ariualTc  a.40.6.du 
catitcaloaa  tutriditti  denari  rcpo^aiin  vna  calTctta.oucr  falua  denarodode  i  capo  o.s.o 
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du-ai  ppiu  robbc  ucdutcddc  qligia  bauerai  tcnuto  el  coto  c  moltcalt'4XJfc  in  le  qli  no  mi 


60 


then  in  the  Journal  you  shall  say  as  follows : 

Per  small  business  expenses  //  A  cash.  Cash  paid  for  boats,  ropes,  etc.,  for  such  and  such  goods  in 
total,  so  many  ducats ;  value :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

In  the  Ledger,  you  shaU  state  as  follows: 

Small  business  expenses  {dee  dare — shall  give)  debit  per  cash  on  this  day,  etc.,  value;  page,  etc. 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

We  can  not  do  without  the  account  of  ordinary  household  expenses.  By  these  expenses  we  mean  ex- 
penses for  grains,  wine,  wood,  oil,  salt,  meat,  shoes,  hats,  stockings,  cloths,  tips,  expenses  for  tailors,  bar- 
bers, bakers,  cleaners,  etc.,  kitchen  utensils,  vases,  glasses,  casks,  etc. 

Many  keep  different  accounts  for  all  these  different  things,  so  that  they  can  see  at  a  glance  how  each 
account  stands,  and  you  may  do  so  and  open  all  these  different  accoiuits,  and  any  accounts  that  you  like, 
but  I  am  talking  to  you  about  what  the  merchant  can  not  do  without.  And  you  shall  keep  this  account  in 
the  way  I  have  told  you  to  keep  the  small  business  expense  account,  and  make  each  entry  day  by  day  as 
you  have  such  expenses,  as  for  grain,  wine,  wool,  etc.  Many  open  special  accounts  for  these  different  things 
so  that  at  the  end  of  the  year  or  at  any  time  they  may  know  how  much  they  are  paying  out ;  but  for  the 
small  accounts,  as  meat,  fish,  boat  fares,  etc.,  you  shall  set  aside  in  a  little  bag  one  or  two  ducats  and  make 
smaU  payments  out  of  this  amount.    It  will  be  impossible  to  keep  an  account  of  all  these  small  things. 

In  the  Journal  you  shall  state  so : 

Per  household  expenses  //  A  cash.  Cash  set  aside  in  a  little  bag  for  small  expenses,  so  many  ducats, 
value:  L ,  S ,  G. ,  P 

If  you  wish,  you  can  include  in  the  household  expenses  the  extraordinary  expenses,  as  those  that  you 
make  for  amusements  or  that  you  lose  in  some  game,  or  for  things  or  money  that  you  might  lose,  or  that 
might  be  stolen  or  lost  in  a  wreck  or  through  fire,  etc.,  for  all  are  classified  as  extraordinary  expenses.  If 
you  want  to  keep  a  separate  account  for  them,  you  may  do  so,  as  many  do,  in  order  to  know  at  the  end  of 
the  year  how  much  you  have  expended  for  extraordinary  expenses,  under  which  title  you  should  include 
also  gifts  and  presents  that  you  might  make  to  any  one  for  any  reason.  Of  these  expenses,  I  will  not  speak 
any  longer,  because  I  am  sure  that  you,  keeping  in  mind  what  we  have  said  so  far,  will  know  how  to  man- 
age yourself.  And  leaving  this  subject,  I  will  tell  you  of  the  way  to  open  your  store  accounts  in  the  Ledger 
and  in  the  other  books  as  if  you  wanted  to  conduct  a  store  for  your  own  account.  I  shall  tell  you  that  you 
must  pay  good  attention,  for  it  is  a  very  nice  thing  for  you  to  know. 

CHAPTER  23. 

IN  WHAT  MANNER  THE  ACCOUNTS  OF  A  STORE  SHOULD  BE  KEPT.  WHETHER  THE 
STORE  IS  UNDER  YOUR  CARE  OR  UNDER  THE  CARE  OP  OTHER  PEOPLE.  HOW  THE  AC- 
COUNTS SHOULD  BE  ENTERED  IN  THE  AUTHENTIC  BOOKS  OF  THE  OWNER  SEPARATE 
FROM  THOSE  OF  THE  STORE  ITSELF. 

I  say  then  that  if  j^ou  should  have  a  store  outside  of  your  house  (brancli  store)  and  not  in  the  same 
building  with  your  house,  but  which  you  have  fully  equipped,  then  for  the  sake  of  order  you  should  keep  the 
accounts  in  this  way :  You  should  charge  it  in  your  books  with  all  the  different  things  that  you  put  into  it, 
day  by  day,  and  should  credit  all  the  different  merchandise  that  you  put  in  it  also  each  one  by  itself,  and  you 
must  imagine  that  this  store  is  just  like  a  person  who  should  be  your  debtor  for  all  tlie  things  that  you 
may  give  (dai)  it  or  spend  for  it  for  anj^  reason.  And  so  on  the  contrary  you  shall  credit  it  with  all  that 
you  take  out  of  it  and  receive  from  it  (cavi  e  recevi)  as  if  it  were  a  debtor  wlio  would  pay  you  gradually. 
Thus  at  any  time  that  you  so  desire,  you  may  see  liow  the  store  is  running — that  is,  at  a  profit  or  at  a  loss — 
so  you  will  know  what  you  will  have  to  do  and  how  you  ^\^ll  have  to  manage  it.  There  are  many  who  in 
their  books  charge  everything  to  the  manager  of  the  store.  This,  however,  can  not  be  done  properly  witli- 
out  the  consent  of  that  person,  because  you  can  never  enter  in  your  books  as  a  debtor  any  person  without 
his  knowing  it,  nor  put  him  as  a  creditor  under  certain  conditions  without  his  consent.  If  yon  should  do 
these  things,  it  would  not  be  right  and  your  books  would  be  considered  wrong. 

As  to  all  the  fixtures  which  you  might  put  in  said  store  necessary  to  tlie  running  of  it  according 
to  the  circumstances — if  you  had  for  instance  a  drug-store,  you  would  liave  to  furnish  it  with  vases,  boiling 
pots,  copper  utensils,  with  which  to  work — you  shall  charge  your  store  with  all  this  furniture.  So  all  of 
these  things  .you  shall  charge,  and  he  who  is  at  the  head  of  the  store  shall  make  a  proper  inventory  of  all 
these  things  in  his  own  handwriting  or  in  the  handwriting  of  somebody  else,  at  his  pleasure,  so  that  every- 
thing should  be  clear.  And  this  will  be  sufficient  for  a  store  whose  management  you  may  have  turned  over 
to  somebody  or  to  some  of  your  employes.  But  if  you  want  to  run  the  store  yourself,  you  shall  do  as  I 
will  tell  you  and  it  will  be  all  right.  Let  us  suppose  that  you  buy  and  do  all  of  your  business  through  the 
said  store  and  do  not  have  to  take  care  of  any  other  business,  then  you  shall  keep  the  books  as  I  have  said 
before,  whether  you  buy  or  sell.  You  shall  credit  all  those  that  sell  goods  to  you  on  time,  if  you  buy  on 
time,  or  credit  cash  if  yoii  buy  for  cash,  and  charge  the  store ;  and  if  you  should  sell  at  retail,  as  when  the 
sale  should  not  amount  to  four  or  six  ducats,  and  so  on,  then  you  shall  keep  all  these  monej^s  in  a  small 
drawer  or  box  from  which  you  shall  take  it  after  eight  or  ten  days,  and  then  you  shall  charge  this  amount 
to  cash  and  shall  credit  the  store ;  and  you  shall  make  this  entry  as  follows ; 

Per  various  merchandise  sold — for  which  you  shall  have  kept  an  account — and  so  on.  T  shall  not  talk 
at  length  about  this  because 


61 


BidinOio nona tractafusxi*.  ©efcripturia  ^©^ 

aoqlio  troppo  Di(lendcrc.g  clxfocomo  wfopra  oilfufamcrcibjbiio  dco  o?miJi  fap;ai  pcric 
iicdcric  cociofw  clx  con  noii  fono  alrro  dx  vn  oebi'ro  oMiiic  o:  la  fanufia  cbc  fi  ia  cl  mcr' 
c3t3lUC^Krcl  qualuntTo.'incferuatoguctualaiionria  octuttefucfacedcc  ccgncrfci  facil/ 
mere  I?  qtlo  fc  k  fue  cofc  uatio  bene  o  nialep  d>e  cl  p:o  aerbio  oio  dM  fa  mcreatia  e  no  la  w 
anofca  li  foi  Dcnari  ooiictan  inolca  7c.e  fecodo  le  occurrence  It  fa  remedied;  pcro  piu  c  mi 
CO  li  lipo  fcinprc  agiongere  in  numcro  e  i  mulrirudiiic  oe  gmc.£  go  oe  qilo  tacotcta. 

£61110  fc  babinoalcttarc  nd  giojnale  e  quadcrnole  parntesx  libacbi  oc  fcrirra:cqli  fci 
fcdino c  oouc  ne  fia:o oc  cabi:tii  cdlo;o ftandomcrcat jte:c ru co dim qpdo  fofle  badJieri: 
e  oc  Ic  quic  ta^e  dx  g  li  cabi  fe  fano.e  g  cbe  fcnc  facia  001  oe  incderuno  tcnox  a  r  ?■  4 
Ora  per  li  bancbi  dc  fcripra  6  quali  fe  ne  rroua  oggi  di  iwiiiciia  i  bruggia  faucr 
fa  c  bari^doa  c  cerri  alcriluogbi  fa  niofi  c  tra  f ican  » couie  fag  (o  lo:o  liba  fcotra' 
re  CO  gradilTima  oiIigcria.'£  jxroc  da  notar  cbe  c6  (obaud^o  te  poi  comunani^ 
re  inipadare  Da  re  poncdom  oeiiariper  piu  lua  figurec«ia:o  ucro  g  inodo  oe  dv 
poiito  a  la  gio7nar J  potcr  con  quelfi  far tiioi  paganjcnti  djfjri  apicro  gioini e  marrino  par 
dx  la  oitta  od  baiicbo  e  coinint  publico  iltruuieto  o:  iioraro  g  dx  fon  per  lioomimj  aid 
guranonde poncdoui ru w te.D.farai oebito?e diko bandx) noniinaudo  patroni o  uero 
lopagni  od  bad>o  e  credimci  la  rua  calfa  cofi  oiccdo  i  gio^nale  i&er  baiKbo  DC  (1  pama' 
ni:  BcalTa  pa  cotanri  li  mifi  cb  tali.io  o  aim  cbe  per  1  ue  foift  in  quello  ai  oc  mio  conio  fra 
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mai  fo?6,troppo  cbiarcfl^a  fcru  uolclfc  tai grita  tcncrla  con  li parroni.o  ucro  copagni  dd 
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re  lance  co  rond?onidx  nafcieriagra  confufIIone:c  oire  i  le  ruegtitc  g  coio  dc  la  tal  cofaio 
p coto  del  tal  0  p  ragio  de  mercaniia  og  ragion  de conianti  ocpofita ti  i  tuo  nome  0  daltri 
como  c  6rto:lc  quali  cofe  fo  g  ruo  igcgnoo;mai  reggcri?i'7c.£i"imanfife  tc  reggerai  faith"  tc 
acondaflc  da  te  gdx  cbio  fi  uolc(Te:faralo  ocbitoze  altuo  libro  g  ql  tal  c6to:cioe  D  pagamc 
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do  tu  dc  dco  bandx*  cauafle.Di  cotan  0  g  paga  mcii  cix  adaltri  facellfe  g  gte  orcilo  0  ucro 
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coranti  farai  debirnd  la  rua  caffa-.c  crcditore  d  bancbo  0  uer  patroi  A\  quel  fanto  d?e  nc  ca 
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tanto  noiando  cl  gdx  oiccdo  i  gioznale  g  li  cotanti  cofi.  i&cr  caflTa  al  bandJo  0  uer  nn  - 
fer  girolimo  li  pamani  g  contanri  i  tal  di.o  i  qflo  di  ne  tralTi  a  imo  bifogno  ii.\  tutto.ouc. 
rati  1  c'.iial.  S  fg.  p.  £  fe  adalm  li  fcriucffc  vtputa  amariio  oi  v'M  cofi.  ^er  mart*'  del  la 
le.  ai  diho ut  fup:3  per duc.tati  7cJifcri(Ti  g  gre 0  grcfto  0  abocoto  o.g  ip:efto  tc.  i  qfto 
oi.ual.  S  .f  .g.p.£  cofi  Icuado  oitie  gnttc  t>\  gio:nflle  fcpre  a  fuo  luogo  i  qderno  afctfaralc:c 
i  alfabctoc6modidifop:radaticdepcnandolec6mo  to  inoftro  m  memo:ialccgio:nale.p.c 
mancbo  per  tc  ftellb  giogncdoli  parolle.godx  non  e  polTibtle  4  de  ttuttoa  picno  narrarc 
f i  dx  conuic  dal  ruo  cato  fia  uigilate  7C.  £1  ntcdefiino  nio  te  coucrra  obferuarc  g  remcrtc 
re  li  cdbialtrouccome  lon':brugi3;ro':li6  7C.e  per  rirrar  daltrd  tcnominando  lie  rcrmi' 
iii  7C.0  ala  uifla  oaladata  0  al  fiio  piacerefcomo  fc  colkma  faccdo  maibc  oc  p^2''.c.'/.  tc 
acjo  non  nafca  crrrore  fra  re  el  ruo  refpondcnte  c  oc  le  monete  clx  tu  trai e  rimctci  c  le  lor 
ualurc  c  ^uifioi  e  fpeff  oam  c  itcrcfli  dx  co  li  p:otclh  podcrcbono  lufcere  TC.fi  cbc  di  tutto 
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predi  fe  folic  ru  d  band^icri  mutarie  mutandis  dx  qtiando  pagi?i  fa  dcbitore  quel  tale  c  la 
tua  calTa  crcdimd  e  fel  tuo  creditor  fcn(iacauare.iJ.adiiltri  li  fcriuefTc  dirai  nd  tuo  giojni 


63 


I  have  giveu  you  suflScient  explanation  previously  and  you  know  how  to  go  ahead  by  this  time.  For  ac- 
counts are  nothing  else  than  the  expression  in  writing  of  the  arrangement  of  his  affairs,  which  the  mer- 
chant keeps  in  his  mind,  and  if  he  follow  this  system  always  he  will  know  all  about  his  business  and  will 
know  exactly  whether  his  business  goes  well  or  not.  Therefore  the  proverb :  If  you  are  in  business  and  do 
not  know  all  about  it,  your  money  will  go  like  flies — That  is,  you  will  lose  it.  And  according  to  the  cir- 
cumstances you  can  remedy  what  is  to  be  remedied;  for  instance,  if  necessary,  you  might  open  other  ac- 
counts.   And  this  will  be  sufficient  for  you. 

CHAPTER  24. 

HOW  YOU  SHOULD  KEEP  IN  THE  JOURNAL  AND  LEDGER.  THE  ACCOUNTS  WITH  THE 
BANK.  WHAT  IS  UNDERSTOOD  BY  THEM.  BILLS  OF  EXCHANGE— WHETHER  YOU  DEAL 
WITH  A  BANK  OR  YOURSELF  ARE  A  BANKER.  RECEIPTS  FOR  DRAFTS— WHAT  IS  UN- 
DERSTOOD BY  THEM  AND  WHY  THEY  ARE  MADE  OUT  IN  DUPLICATE. 

In  respect  to  banks,  whicli  j'ou  can  find  nowadays  in  Venice,  in  Bruges,  in  Antwerp,  Barcelona,  and 
other  places  well  known  to  the  commercial  world,  you  must  keep  your  accounts  with  them  with  the  great- 
est diligence. 

You  can  generally  establish  connections  with  a  bank.  For  instance,  you  may  leave  your  money  with 
the  bank  as  a  place  of  greater  safety,  or  you  may  keep  your  money  in  the  bank  as  a  deposit  in  order  to 
make  therefrom  your  daily  paj-ments  to  Peter,  John  and  Martin,  for  a  bank  draft  is  like  a  public  notarial 
instrument,  because  they  are  controlled  by  the  state. 

If  you  put  money  in  the  bank,  then  you  shall  charge  the  bank  or  the  owner  or  partners  of  the  bank  and 
shall  credit  j'our  cash  and  make  the  entries  in  the  Journal  as  follows: 

For  Bank  of  Lipamani  //  A  cash.  Cash  deposited  with  so  and  so  by  me,  or  others,  for  my  account,  on 
this  day  counting  gold  and  other  money,  etc.,  in  all  so  many  ducats ;  value : 

L ,  S ,  6 ,  P 

And  you  will  have  the  banker  give  you  some  kind  of  a  written  record  for  your  surety;  if  you  make 
other  deposits  you  shall  do  the  same.  In  ease  you  should  withdraw  money,  the  banker  shall  have  you  write 
a  receipt;  in  this  way,  things  will  be  kept  always  clear. 

It  is  true  that  at  times  this  kind  of  receipt  is  not  given,  because,  as  we  said,  the  books  of  the  bank  are 
always  public  and  authentic ;  but  it  is  better  to  require  this  writing,  because,  as  I  have  told  you,  things 
can't  be  too  clear  for  the  merchant. 

If  you  want  to  keep  this  account  in  the  name  of  the  owners  or  partners  of  the  bank,  you  may  do  so, 
as  it  is  the  same  thing,  because,  if  you  open  the  account  under  the  name  of  the  bank,  by  the  bank  you 
mean  the  owners  or  the  partners.    If  you  keep  it  under  the  name  of  the  owners,  you  shall  say  this  way: 

Per  Mr.  Girolimo  Lipamani,  banker,  and  associates — if  there  are  many —  //  A  cash — and  here  you 
write  as  above.  In  your  books  you  shall  always  mention  all  agreements,  terms,  conditions  that  there  might 
be ;  also  instruments  of  writing  and  places  where  you  keep  them,  whether  file  box,  pouch  or  trunk,  so  that 
you  may  easily  find  them,  as  these  papers  should  be  diligently  kept  for  an  everlasting  memorial  of  the  trans- 
action {ad  perpetuam  memoriarn)  on  account  of  dangers. 

As  you  may  have  several  different  business  relations  with  the  bankers  for  yourself,  or  for  others,  you 
must  keep  various  accounts  with  them  so  that  you  won't  mix  one  thing  with  another,  and  avoid  confusion, 
and  in  your  entries  you  shall  say :  On  account  of  such  and  such  thing,  or  on  account  of  so  and  so,  or  on 
account  of  goods,  or  on  account  of  cash  deposited  in  your  name  or  in  the  name  of  others,  as  we  have  said. 
You  will  know  yourself  how  to  make  these  entries.  In  the  same  way  you  will  proceed  in  case  others  should 
turn  money  over  to  you  for  some  account ;  you  shall  charge  that  account  in  your  book — that  is,  you  shall 
charge  the  bank,  stating  whether  it  was  in  part  payment  or  in  fuU,  etc.,  and  you  shall  credit  the  person 
that  gave  you  the  money.    This  will  be  all  right. 

When  you  should  withdraw  money  from  a  bank  either  to  pay  somebody  else  as  part  payment  or  pay- 
ment in  full,  or  to  make  a  remittance  to  parties  in  other  countries,  you  shall  do  in  this  case  just  the  oppo- 
site of  what  we  just  said — that  is,  if  you  withdraw  money  you  shall  charge  your  cash  and  credit  the  bank 
or  owners  of  the  bank  for  the  amount  withdrawn ;  and  if  you  should  give  an  order  on  the  bank  for  some- 
body else,  you  shall  charge  this  party  and  credit  the  bank  or  owners  of  the  bank  for  that  much,  stating  the 
reasons.    You  shall  enter  the  cash  item  in  your  Journal  as  follows : 

Per  cash  //  A  bank,  or  Mr.  Girolimo  Lipamani,  for  cash  which  on  this  day  or  on  such  and  such 
day  I  withdrew  for  mj'  need,  in  all  so  many  ducats,  value  :  L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

And  if  you  should  issue  an  order  in  favor  of  Mr.  Martino,  for  instance,  you  shall  say  thus : 

Per  Martino  on  such  and  such  a  day  //  A  ditto  for  ditto  for  cash,  etc.,  for  so  many  ducats,  for  which 
I  gave  an  order,  in  part  payment  or  in  full  payment,  or  for  a  loan,  etc.,  on  this  day ;  value : 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

Every  time  you  transfer  these  entries  from  the  Journal  Into  the  Ledger,  you  shall  also  record  them  in  the  Index 
and  cancel  them,  as  I  have  shown  you,  adding  more  or  less  words  according  to  the  facts  in  the  case. 

You  must  do  the  same  in  case  you  want  to  send  drafts  elsewhere,  as  to  London,  Bruges,  Rome,  Lyons,  etc.  You 
shall  mention  in  the  letter  the  terms,  conditions,  etc.,  whether  these  drafts  are  at  sight  or  at  a  certain  date  or  at 
pleasure  of  the  payor,  as  it  is  customary,  mentioning  also  whether  it  is  a  first,  second,  third  draft,  etc.,  so  that  no  mis- 
understanding can  occur  between  you  and  your  correspondent,  mentioning  also  the  kind  of  money  in  which  you  draw 
or  transmit,  their  value,  the  commission,  the  costs  and  interest  that  might  follow  a  protest — in  a  word,  everything  must 
be  mentioned,  why  and  how. 

I  have  told  you  how  you  have  to  proceed  in  dealing  with  a  bank.  If  on  the  contrary  you  are  the  banker  you  have 
to  do  in  the  opposite  way  {mutatis  mutandis) ;  when  you  pay  you  charge  the  man  to  whom  you  pay  and  credit  cash. 
If  one  of  your  creditors,  without  withdrawing  money,  should  Issue  a  draft  to  somebody  else,  you  ehallsay  in  the  Journal 

63 


©illinctio  noiia  t^3rtattt0.rf^©e  fcripfurid 

U  per  qurftalc  tuo  crc  ditojr  a  quel  talc  acbi  lui  li  acocwc  cofi  ricni  a  for  comutatfoite  da  xno 
crcduo:c  a  unalcro  e  tu  rimani  pure  dcbitox  c  uieni  m  qrto  attocderc  pcrfona  inc«;?ana  c  c6/ 
munaionio  teftimonio  c  factojc dele  parri a  two  incbiollro carta  fitt o  f atiga c  tempo (i c\x 
df  qua  ficaua  la  lx)neft3  <puiTioe  nel  canibio  eflcrc  fcp:c  lidta  qpdo  mai  no  ui  cojrifle  gico- 
lode  uiaggi'o  flltrcremcfTemmatioocter^^foncTccomonellicambirealiinqfto  a  fuo 
luoabo  clfato  apieno dctto  7C.fl^a  fiandobacbieri ricordate nell ifaldico toi credito:i  far 
tc  tc:tiare  fogli  p^ic  o  altri  fcn'pti  cbc  di  tua  marto  baueflc  dc  Ic^Ii  quando  ne  fai  fepjc  fan 
nc  nel  tuo  libio nicmioe  aeio  te  rcco:dia  fartele  to:nare  c  ftra^arluado  no  uenilTe a  tepo  co 
nlU  dim  adomandarteefjttefarcfJpjcbonequietaiHecomocoftumanofarecbiartcdc  al 
c Jbio'.go  ri?c Infanta c clx fc tu vicni.vcrbi  gi'ada gineucra  con  vna dicabio cj  in  vi^a  nn'f 
cnouanifrcfcobaldida  fio'.eVopa'.cB  alauilla  o  datatoa  tuo  piaceretedouenepagarcmetiii 
tiio  due.  I  oo.p  altre  tanri  cl?f  dila  bauefTe  ncle  man  dc  cbi  \i  fcnue  c6  fegnati:alo2a  el  ditto 
imfk giouamc c6p*.acceptado la  lfa:c fbo:feiadote ditti.d.fe fara fcriuere 6 tua  mano  doi cjc 
tanije  dc  vn  mcdcfimo  tcno«::c  fc  tu  no  fapclTc  fcriuere  Ic  far  vn  tergo  ptc  o  ?ro  notaro: 
no  fa  CO  tentaradunapcbclunacouicclxrimandi  a  qlbancl?icri  a  gineuerarcbcli  fcriuc 
cbc  a  tc  p  fuo coto pagbi li  ritti  cmc. i  oo.f  farli  fcdc  como co?tefcmetc  a  fatto  ql  tanto  cl>e 
W  fcriflc  i  cut  fcdc  in  una  fuj^li  mada  laquieta^a  di  tua  manorc  laltra  tcnc  i  fil^a  apjcflb  wfe: 
acio  qpdo  cotaflTe  co  lui  non  ^>oteflc  nc garlilo'.c  di" la  anco:a  tu  tojnado  no  poteflTclametarte 
w'  lui  nc  oc  mif  giouani  po  dx  fc  m  lo'felTc  el  K  moftraria  octta  quictan<;3  oi  tua  mano  c  rc' 
tnarefii  confulo": fi  cbe  tuttc  qfJc  cofc  fbnno  cautelc  clx  fi conuengano oc  nccefiita  fare  p  la 
poca  fcdc  fi  troua  o j^i  oi  be\  quale  atto  nc  nafcano  oot  ptitc  i  lo  qderno  loro.vna  in  ql  tx 
mef  giouani  far  edo  6bito:e  ql  cbe  li  fcriuc  p  Wgojc  cc  la  oicabiote  laltra  i  qlfo  oel  refpodc/ 
ic  a  gineucra  faccdo  crcdito:e  inil^  giouani  m  quelli  ouc.i  oo.per  virtu  oc  oitta  tua  quieta^a 
reccuuta.c  qucfloc  el  oebito  inodo  c  ozdine  oe  cambiatoa'  g  tutto  cl  modo:  adolc  lo:  cofc 
vadino  co  cbiarci^crfi  cbe  dal  tuo  lato  alquato  alfati'gandote  po:rai  ogni  cofa  con  fumnia 
diligen^a  afcttarc.7c. 

Be  unalf  ra  partita  cbe  olc  uolte  fc  coHuma  nel  qderno  tencre  octta  cntrata  c  ufcita  r  ale 
oolte  fcncfa  libro  particularetc  per  cbe.  ca.2f. 

©nnoalcuni cbe  nc  I02  lib:i  ufano  tencre  vna  prita  cetta  cntrata  c  vfcita  i  la  ql 
pogano  cofc  ftrao:dinanc  0  alnt  como ala.  fantafia  pare.  Blcri  ne  tirra  una  5 
fpefc  ftrao^dinarie  e  i  fimili  mctrano  como  f  qlla  ointrata  ifita  pfcri  dx  li  folTer 
fatti.«?.gi^a.e  coll  fcrfo  cbe  riccuano  c  oano  e  tcgano  coto  i  dare  c  bauere  e  poia 
{a  fine  co  laln-c  Ic  faldano  t  p  e  dano  e  cauedalc  como  itendcrai  nel  bflando  tc.iQ^  \  uero 
qlla  octta  r>i  fopja  fpefc  di  cafa  B  tnttc  c  baftate  fc  no  cbi  uoIefTc  per  fua  curiofita  tener  con^ 
to  da  p  feftn  a  vn  potale  dcHrcga  cl?c  lo  po2ria  fare  ma  acB  finetego  fi  iJba  a  le  cofc  co  b^c 
uita  aiettarfe.aitri  luogbi  coftuma  oe  Utrata  cufcita  teneir  vn  libjo  a  fua  pofta:cpoi  quelfo 
faldano  a  tcpo  ocl  bilacio  nel  vln'mo  autctico  tficmi  co  k  altre  faccde:laql  cofa  non  eoabtar 
mare  auega  fia  dc  piu  fatiga. 

£omo  fe  babino  afettare  neli  lib;i Ic  gtitc  oe  li  uiaggi  i  fua  mano:c  quelleoc  Ih^iagdi  ro 
comandati'.e  commo  di  necenTta  oc  tali  nafcono  doi  quadcmi  a.:6. 

J  uiaggi  fi  coftumano  fare  i  ooi  modi^cioe  i  fua  mano  c  recomandato.'vndc  na' 
fcano  diuerfi  modi  i  tcner  lo?  coti  go  cbe  (cpje  fi  pjofupogano  libn*  ooppi:o  (i» 
i  ma  mano  ofia  rccomandato  .-^rclxliiqdcnio  refta  icafa  e  laltro  ticoue  fare 
J  i  uiaggio.vnde  fel  ditto  viagio  fia  i  tua  mano  g  bo  o:dfc  dcdodjc  tu  po:n'  fo?ma 
tuojuctario  qdernett6:gio:naletto  7C.tutto  como  di  fopja  fc  octto:c  uedcdo  copzado  ba/ 
ratado  icoc  ruttofa  debitori  e  crcditozi  gfonctrobbc:  caflbrcauedaltoc  uiagctioic  ^  e  oan 
jio  dc  uiaggio  Tce  qfto  c  lo  piu  fcbietto  c  oica  cB  fi  uoglia  altri.  Suega  cK  pojrefti  tcner  co 
to  CO  la  cafa  dalaql  tu  rogli  la  faculta  cl?c  al  ditto  uiaggio  |.x):o'facedola  nel  libxtto  ocf  tno 
uiaggio  crcdin^d:c  le  robbe  ocbitrici a  una  p  v*:e  cofi fo:marefli  tua  csriTatruo  cauedalc  u. 
o:denatamctc  como  nel  tno  famofo.£  to:nado  aialuamcto  rcdarelli  alacafa  altre  robbe  ali 
contro.o  ucro.d.e  co  let  faldarcfti  coto  c  lutilc  ooano  fec^to  afcttarefti  a  fuo  luogbo  nel  qua 
derno  grade.ficbe  aqllo  modo  ancora  le  we  faccdcoiercbono  cbiarc.iif^  fel  viaggi'o  reco' 
madaffe  iadaltritaloza  farefti  dc  tutto  nel  tuo  libro  dcbitorc  ql  talc  acbi  larccomldi  viccdo 
per  uiaggio  recomadato  al  talc  tee  co  lui  terrelh"  conto  come  fe  foflfc  vn  tuo  auctorc  oe  tut 
te  robbe:e  i5.a  ptita  per  partita  7c£  lui  dal  cato  fuo  fojmara  fuo  qdcrneno:  e  i  <jllo  te  con/ 
ucrra  fare  crcditorc  dc  tntto.£  retornado  faldara  contcco.£  fd  tuo  comcflb  foflfc  i  le  Mdc 


64 


as  follows:  Per  that  special  creditor  of  yours  //  A  the  man  to  whom  the  money  was  assigned.  In 
this  way  you  just  make  the  transfer  from  one  creditor  to  another  and  you  still  remain  as  debtor  and 
act  as  a  go-between,  as  witness  or  agent  of  the  two  parties.  For  ink,  paper,  rent,  trouble  and  time  you 
get  a  commission,  which  is  always  lawful, .  even  though  through  a  draft  there  is  no  risk  of  travel,  or* 
the  risk  when  money  should  be  transferred  to  third  parties,  etc.,  as  in  actual  exchanges,  of  which  we 
have  spoken  in  its  place.  If  you  are  a  banker,  whenever  you  close  an  account  with  your  creditors 
always  remember  to  get  back  all  the  papers,  documents  or  other  writings  in  your  own  handwriting  that 
they  might  have.  When  you  issue  any  such  paper  always  mention  it  in  your  books  so  that  when  the 
time  comes  you  will  remember  to  ask  for  them  and  to  destroy  them  so  that  nobody  else  should  appear 
with  these  papers  and  ask  money  for  the  second  time.  You  must  always  require  good  receipts  as  those 
do  who  are  accustomed  to  this  kind  of  business.  For  the  custom  is  this:  If  you,  for  instance,  come 
from  Geneva  to  Venice  with  a  draft  on  Messrs.  Giovanni  Freseobaldi  &  Co.,  of  Florence,  which  draft  might 
be  at  sight  or  on  a  certain  date  or  at  your  pleasure,  and  the  amount  were  for  a  hundred  ducats,  that  is,  for 
as  many  ducats  as  j-ou  have  paid  to  the  drawer  of  the  draft,  then  the  said  Messrs.  Giovanni  &  Co.,  when  they 
honor  the  draft  and  give  you  the  cash  will  require  you  to  give  two  receipts  written  in  your  own  hand- 
writing, and  if  you  should  not  know  how  to  write,  a  third  party  or  a  notary  public  will  make  them  out. 
He  will  not  be  satisfied  with  one  because  he  has  to  send  one  to  the  banker  at  Geneva,  who  wrote  him  to 
pay  the  hundred  ducats  to  you  for  his  account  just  to  show  that  he  honored  his  request,  and  for  this 
purpose  he  will  send  to  the  other  banker  a  letter  enclosing  your  receipt  written  in  your  handwrriting. 
The  other  receipt  he  will  keep  for  himself  on  file  so  that  in  balancing  with  the  other  banker,  the  banker 
could  not  deny  the  transaction,  and  if  you  should  go  to  Geneva  you  could  not  complain  of  him  or  of 
Mr.  Giovanni  for  if  you  should  complain  he  would  show  you  your  receipt  written  by  yourself  and  you 
would  not  play  a  beautiful  part  in  it.  All  these  precautions  ought  to  be  taken  by  necessity  on  account 
of  the  bad  faith  of  the  present  times.  Out  of  these  transactions  two  entries  ought  to  be  made  in  the 
Ledger,  one  entry  in  the  account  with  Mr.  Giovanni,  in  which  you  shall  charge  the  drawer  of  the  draft, 
{letter  dc  cambio)  the  other  entry  in  the  account  of  your  correspondent  at  Geneva,  crediting  Mr.  Giovanni 
with  that  hundred  ducats  paid  through  a  draft.  This  is  the  method  that  the  bankers  of  all  the  world  keep  so 
that  their  transaction  may  appear  clear ;  therefore  you  will  have  to  take  some  trouble  on  your  part  and 
try  to  enter  everything  in  its  own  place  with  great  care. 

CHAPTER  25. 

ANOTHER  ACCOUNT  WHICH  IS  USUALLY  KEPT  IN  THE  LEDGER,  CALLED  INCOME  AND 
EXPENSES,  FOR  WHICH  OFTEN  A  SEPARATE  BOOK  IS  USED,  AND  WHY. 

There  are  some  who,  in  their  books,  are  accustomed  to  keep  an  account  called  Income  and  Ex- 
penses {Entrata  e  uscita),  in  which  they  enter  extraordinary  things,  or  any  other  thing  that  they  deem 
proper;  others  keep  an  account  called  extraordinary  expenses  and  in  it  they  record  gifts,  which  they 
receive  or  give.  They  keep  it  as  a  credit  and  debit  account,  and  then  at  the  end  of  the  year  they  ascertain 
the  remainder  (resto)  which  is  either  a  profit  or  a  loss  and  transfer  it  to  capital  as  you  will  understand  when 
we  talk  about  the  balance.  But  really  the  account  we  have  called  "'household  expenses"  is  sufficient  for 
all  this  unless  someone  should  like  to  keep  a  separate  account  for  his  own  curiosity,  but  it  would  be  of 
no  great  value  because  things  should  be  arranged  as  briefly  as  possible.  In  other  places  it  is  customary 
to  keep  the  income  and  expense  account  in  a  separate  book  which  is  balanced  when  they  balance  the 
authenticated  books  and  all  other  aflfairs.     This  custom  is  not  to  be  criticized  but  it  requires  more  work. 

CHAPTER  26. 

HOW  ENTRIES  SHOULD  BE  MADE  IN  MERCANTILE  BOOKS  RELATIVE  TO  TRIPS  WHICH 
YOU  CONDUCT  YOURSELF  OR  YOU  ENTRUST  TO  OTHER  PEOPLE,  AND  THE  TWO  LEDGERS 
RESULTING  THEREFROM. 

Trips  are  made  usually  in  two  ways,  either  personally  or  through  somebody  else ;  therefore  two  are 
the  ways  to  keep  their  accounts  and  the  book  always  ought  to  be  in  duplicate  whether  the  trip  is  made 
by  you  personally  or  it  is  in  charge  of  somebody  else.  One  ledger  is  kept  at  home  and  the  other  one  is 
taken  along  and  kept  on  the  trip.  If  you  conduct  the  trip  yourself,  for  the  sake  of  order  and  system, 
you  must  take  a  new  inventory  also  a  small  Ledger  and  small  Journal  among  the  things  you  take  with 
you  and  follow  the  instruction  above  given.  If  you  sell  or  buy  or  exchange,  you  must  charge  and  credit 
according  to  the  facts,  persons,  goods,  cash,  traveling  capital,  traveling  profit  and  loss,  etc.  This  is  the 
best  way,  no  matter  what  other  people  may  say.  You  might  keep  an  account  with  the  mercantile 
house  which  furnishes  you  with  the  goods  which  you  take  on  the  trip.  In  this  case  you  shall  credit  the 
said  house  in  your  little  Ledger  and  charge  the  different  goods  one  by  one.  In  this  way  you  would 
open  your  mercantile  house  accounts,  capital  account,  etc.,  as  in  your  main  books,  and  coming  back  safe 
and  sound  you  would  return  to  the  mercantile  house  either  other  goods  in  exchange  for  those  that  you 
took  or  money,  and  you  would  close  the  accounts  with  the  entering  in  your  big  Ledger  the  respective 
profit  or  loss  item.  In  this  way  your  business  will  be  clear.  If,  however,  you  entrust  the  trip  to  some 
other  party,  then  you  should  charge  this  party  with  all  the  goods  that  you  entrust  with  him,  saying: 
Per  trip  entrusted  to  so  and  so,  etc.,  and  you  should  keep  an  account  with  him,  as  if  he  were  one  of 
your  customers,  for  all  goods  and  moneys,  keeping  separate  accounts,  etc.,  and  he  on  his  part  will  set 
up  a  little  Ledger  in  which  he  makes  you  creditor  for  everything.  When  lie  comes  back  he  will  balance 
with  you ;  and  if  your  traveling  salesman  were  in  fetters    (sentence   remains  unfinished  in  the   original) 

65 


©irtindo  noru-Zrartatus.  x\*.^c(cnpt\sriQ  207 

be  I  ".prira  famofa  owta  ^  c  i>iiio o  rcro  auano  c  oefauan^uoc lafabb  a /tciwre  Pd  cjcfcr 
no.cpLbccHjnofinierra  nd^o:nalccoinmclcalrrf  grirc  £9p°-  17 

£^ta  Doppo  ognialf*  pri'.i  '.d.M'amata  oc  .p  c  oano  ovoi  otre  vnlc  c  oanofecjro- 
ovcro  auan(,icOT:fau5«,ifoaIcuopadenacilcruttcIalt*.ocItuo  qder?(flp  f<t?a 
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rai  lapti^  in  oare  e  in  Ijcrc  c6 1  Mmea  oiametraliter.£  fatto  qfto  andarai  a  C3rti.6o.in  oaf 
£po2rai  oitro  rcfto  poncdo  fc'p2C  oifop^p^fen^  ci  foflc  d  Gb°  coe  oinan^e  fo  oiifo.  £ot  r 
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bere  p  faldo  6  qlla.  val  acarti'.^o.^  8  f  6  g  j  p  7.£  qfto  mcdefi?  modo  obfuarai  in  tunepn* 
d?e  l^flHcfTc  a  rcpo2tare  auanti  incatcnandolc  al  modo  oitto  e  f  c^a  interuallo  aldio.po  cb  fc 
p?e  Ic  ptit'.fi  wgliajio  poncrc  c6e  nafcano  i>  luogo.fito.oi.c  milefi?  ado  nilu  te  polTi  calu 
niarctc.  b d  modo  a  faperc  mutare  d  mdcfimo  nd  quaderno  fra  Ic  panitc  cbc  ala  ^0? 
nata  acafcauo.quando cgni  anno  n6n  (i  faldafi  li  lib:i.  Capitolo.  2  9* 

©rria  eff'  aleuolte  cbc  nde  tue  ptitc  in  quaderno.  tu  l?aucfli  a  mutar  milefi?  £ 
no.baueffe  rald3to.alo2a  Ditto  mifefi'.oeui  jxjnere  in  margine  aru>erto  oitta  pn 
ta  cb  cofi  e  naia.coe  fo  oetto  fop2a  incap.i  S°  £  tuttc  laltre  dx  la  fcc^rcranno  fe 
intcderanno  al  Ditto  mile?  flOa  fep:e  e  buono  ocfaldarc  ognanno.maicimc  dyi 
t  in  cop^'pdx d  ^ucrbio  oici  ragion  fpcfw  amifla  I6ga.£  e oft  farai  a  tuttc  fimili. 

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[[  dafic.  £1  qfe  no  fi  po  dc  ragi'on  ncgare.pftim  qxio  co  kco  baudfe  tenuto  conto 
logo,  de  piu  anni  c  mefi  7c.alo2a  faratc  da  p2in?  S  in  ficmi'  1  >auefte  afare.o  da  as 
fro  termine  cb  lui  d  volefle  qpoo  fira  voi  foflero  ftati  altn  faldi  da  ql  rpO  cb loro 
Icpcrvnavolta  volciiticnlilclcua.£defutto farai vna  parrira  in  vnfoglio  d?e  uicapa. 
£q'doin.i'.  fadaMoncapiflefaldarairutto  qucllodxUlwucrui  polio. cpc2rcrflidrdTO 
oalaltro  lato  del  foglio  in  dare.orero  l?auerc  commo  nd  capirolo.:  8°.  fo  deHO.£  ra  con  - 
timiaMdo.£alultimo.reduno  inrefto  ncttoouna  fola  parnta  in  dare  obaucrfccondo 
dK  bnafccra.  £  qudh"  tali  conti  (i  uogliano  !cu«r€  con  grandillSlma  dilfgcniia. 


66 


CHAPTER  27. 

ANOTHER  WELL-KNOWN  ACCOUNT  NAMED  PROFIT  AND  LOSS,  OR  PROFIT  AND  DEFI- 
CIT. HOW  IT  SHOULD  BE  KEPT  IN  THE  LEDGER  AND  WHY  IT  IS  NOT  KEPT  IN  THE 
JOURNAL  AS  THE  OTHER  ACCOUNTS. 

After  the  other  accounts,  there  must  follow  one  which  Is  n;uned  variously,  according  to  different  localities,  Favor 
and  Damage  (Pro  a  Oanno),  or  Profit  and  Damage  {Utile  a  Danno) ,  or  Increase  and  Deficit  {Avanzi  e  Desavanzi). 
Into  this  other  accounts  in  the  Ledger  have  their  remainders,  as  we  will  show  when  we  speaic  of  the  trial  balance. 
You  should  not  put  these  entries  in  the  Journal,  but  only  in  the  Ledger,  as  they  originate  from  overs  or  shorts  in  the 
debits  and  credits,  and  not  from  actual  transactions.     You  shall  open  the  account  this  way: 

Profit  and  Loss  debit  [dee  dare— shall  give),  and  Profit  and  Loss  credit  (dee  havere — shall  have). 

That  is,  if  you  had  sustained  a  loss  in  a  special  line  of  merchandise  and  in  this  account  in  your  Ledger  would 
show  less  in  the  credit  than  the  debit,  then  you  will  add  the  difference  (saldo)  to  the  credit  so  as  to  make  it  balance, 
and  you  shall  enter  as  follows: 

Credit  (dee  havere — shall  have),  per  Profit  and  Loss,  so  much,  which  I  enter  here  in  order  to  balance  on  account 
of  Joss  sustained — and  so  on,  and  you  will  mark  the  page  of  the  Profit  and  Loss  account  where  you  write  down  the 
entry.     Then  you  go  to  the  Profit  and  Loss  account  and  in  the  debit  column  you  shall  enter  as  follows: 

Profit  and  Loss  debit  (dee  dare — shall  give),  on  this  day,  to  such  and  such  loss  sustained,  so  much — which  has 
been  entered  in  the  credit  of  said  merchandise  account  in  order  to  balance  it  at  page  so  and  so.  If  the  account  of  this 
special  merchandise  would  show  a  profit  instead  of  loss- — that  is,  more  in  the  credit  than  in  the  debit — then  you  will 
proceed  in  the  opposite  way.  The  same  you  shall  do  one  by  one  for  all  accounts  with  merchandise  or  different  things, 
whether  they  show  good  or  bad  results,  so  that  your  Ledger  always  shows  the  accounts  in  balance — that  is,  as  much 
In  the  debit  as  in  the  credit.  This  is  the  condition  the  Ledger  will  be  in  if  it  is  correct,  as  I  will  explain  to  you  when 
I  am  talking  of  the  balance.  In  this  way  you  will  see  at  a  glance  whether  you  are  gaining  or  losing,  and  how  much. 
And  this  account  must  then  be  transferred  for  its  closing  (saldo)  into  the  capital  account,  which  is  always  the  last 
in  all  the  ledgers  and  is  consequently  the  receptacle  of  all  other  accounts,  as  you  will  understand. 

CHAPTER  28. 

HOW  FULL  ACCOUNTS  IN  THE  LEDGER  SHOULD  BE  CARRIED  FORWARD  AND  THE 
PLACE  TO  WHICH  THEY  MUST  BE  TRANSFERRED  SO  THAT  NO  CROOKEDNESS  CAN  BE 
PRACTICED  IN  THE  LEDGER. 

You  should  know  that  when  an  account  has  been  filled  out,  either  in  the  debit  or  in  the  credit,  and  you  cannot 
make  any  more  entries  in  the  space  reserved  for  such  an  account,  you  must  at  once  carry  this  account  forward  to  a 
page  after  all  your  other  accounts,  so  that  there  is  no  space  left  in  the  Ledger  between  this  transferred  account  and 
the  last  of  the  other  accounts.  Otherwise  it  would  be  considered  a  fraud.  It  must  be  carried  forward  in  the  manner 
which  we  have  given  above  when  writing  about  the  balancing  of  profit  and  loss.  In  making  the  transfers,  you  should 
make  entries  on  the  debit  and  credit  sides  only,  without  making  any  entry  in  the  Journal.  Transfers  are  not  made  in 
the  Journal;  still,  if  you  so  desired,  you  might  do  that  and  it  would  be  all  right;  but  it  Is  not  necessary,  because  it 
would  be  that  much  more  trouble  without  any  necessity.  All  that  need  be  done  is  to  increase  the  smaller  quantity — 
that  Is,  if  the  account  shows  more  in  the  debit  than  in  the  credit,  you  ought  to  add  the  difference  to  the  credit.  I  will 
give  you,  now,  an  example  of  one  of  these  transfers: 

Let  us  suppose  that  Martino  has  had  a  long  account  with  you  of  several  transactions,  so  that  his  account  should 
be  transferred  from  ledger  page  30.  Suppose  further  that  the  last  account  of  your  book  Is  at  page  60,  and  is  at  the 
top  of  said  page,  so  that  on  the  same  page  there  is  space  enough  to  transfer  the  Martino  account.  Suppose  that  there 
Is  on  debit  side,  L  80,  S  15,  G  15,  P  24;  and  the  credit  shows  that  he  has  given  you,  L  72,  S  9,  G  3,  P  17.  Deducting 
the  credit  from  the  debit,  there  is  a  remainder  (resta)  of:  L  8,  S  6,  G  5,  P  7.  This  is  the  amount  that  you  should 
bring  forward  to  the  debit  side  of  the  new  page,  and  on  the  old  page  you  must  add  the  same  amount  In  the  credit 
column  to  make  it  balance,  saying  as  follows: 

On  such  and  such  day,  etc.,  per  himself,  I  bring  forward  (porta  avanti)  this  amount  to  the  debit  side  as  a  re- 
mainder (resta),  and  the  same  amount  I  enter  here  per  closing   (saldo),  that  is:   L  8,  S  6,  G  5,  P  7.     see  at  page  60: 

L ,  S ,  G ,  P 

And  you  shall  cancel  the  account  both  on  the  debit  and  credit  side  with  a  diagonal  line.  After  that,  you  will 
go  to  page  60  and  shall  enter  in  the  debit  column  the  said  remainder,  always  writing  down  at  the  top  of  the  page  the 
year,  if  none  already  has  been  mentioned,  as  has  been  said  above.     You  shall  enter  there  as  follows: 

Martino  debit  on  such  and  such  day  per  himself,  as  per  remainder  (resta)  taken  from  the  page  of  his  old  ac- 
count and  therein  entered   per  closing    (saldo),  see  page  30:  L8,  S6,  G5,  P7. 

This  is  the  way  for  you  to  proceed  with  all  occounts  that  you  should  transfer:  Place  them,  as  I  have  told  you, 
without  leaving  any  space  in  between.  The  accounts  should  be  opened  in  the  order  in  which  they  originate  in  such 
place  and  at  such  time,  so  that  nobody  can  speak  evil  of  you. 

CHAPTER  29. 

HOW  TO  CHANGE  THE  YEAR  IN  THE  LEDGER  BETWEEN  TWO  SUCCESSIVE  ENTRIES 
IN  CASE  THE  BOOKS  ARE  NOT  CLOSED  EVERY  YEAR. 

It  might  be  that  you  must  change  the  year  in  your  ledger  accounts  before  you  balance  it.  In  this  case,  you 
should  write  the  year  in  the  margin  before  the  first  entry  of  the  new  year,  as  has  been  previously  said  at  Chapter 
15;   all  the  following  entries  should  be  understood  as  having  occurred  during  that  year. 

But  it  is  always  good  to  close  the  books  each  year,  especially  if  you  are  In  partnership  with  others.  The  proverb 
says:     Frequent   accounting   makes   for   long   friendship.     Thus  you  will  do  in  similar  cases. 

CHAPTER  30. 

HOW  AN  ABSTRACT  OR  STATEMENT  OF  AN  ACCOUNT  SHOULD  BE  MADE  TO  A  DEBT- 
OR WHO  MIGHT  REQUEST  IT,  OR  FOR  YOUR  EMPLOYER  IN  CASE  YOU  ARE  MANAGER  OR 
COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HIS  PROPERTY. 

In  addition,  you  must  know  how  to  make  an  abstract  or  a  statement  of  an  account  if  your  debtor  requests  it. 
This  is  a  favor  that  cannot  be  refused,  especially  if  your  debtor  has  had  an  account  with  you  for  years  or  months, 
etc.  In  this  case  you  should  go  away  back  to  the  time  when  you  began  to  have  transactions  with  him,  or  back  to  the 
time  from  which  he  desires  to  have  his  statement,  in  case  you  have  had  previous  settlements.  And  you  should  do 
this  willingly.  You  should  copy  all  his  account  on  a  sheet  of  paper  large  enough  to  contain  it  all.  If  it  should  not 
be  large  enough,  you  will  draw  a  balance  at  the  end  of  the  page  and  shall  carry  the  latter.  In  debit  or  credit,  forward 
to  the  other  side  of  the  sheet,  as  I  told  you  at  Chapter  28.  And  so  on,  until  the  end  of  the  account,  and  at  the  end 
you  must  reduce  the  whole  account  to  the  net  remainder  In  a  single  entry  in  debit  or  credit,  according  to  the  facts. 
These  statements  must  be  made  out  very  carefully. 

67 


aiftinctionona.rncfafusjri'.  ©efcripturia  • 

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OC  acomadc.o  oc  c6m!fioi.aIo:3  fi'milmt-te  cofi  lo  Icuar .n  al  parroc  coc  6  potolbarai'  nollo 
al  lib:o.faccJX>rc  crcditojc  0€  tpo  i  tpo  oelc  nwi  ^mfioj  fo  vf  i  pam.£  poi  i  flitc  p  rcHo  net 
to.od  r?rrarto.farafc  fuo  oebitox.o  vcro  ccditoK  <j'dp  cvc!  tBoltlwuclTc  mclTo.c  lui  pot  lore 
ucdara.potadolo.  c6  UTuoi.  £  trouidolo  (hr  tunctc  vojra  inealio.£  piu  te  fidara.p  djcbi 
fogna  cix  DC  runo  qllo  tc  a  oatoo  inandaro cl)C  ocl  rcccucrc  a  Ifc  oi  rua  mano  li  nc afc (Xni 
aminilh-anoni  o?diiiatain£tf.£  po  nora  bene. £  p  laucrfo  farai  m  (euario  a  ruoi  farton.  o 
vero  comcfirfimifiter.  Cf>a  p'.cbe  fo2a  fc  oieno  li  conti  ft  uocjliano  ben  pontarc  c6  tutrc  lo 
ro  pnrc  i  qdcrno  i  gio:nale  c  meino2i3le.£  con  rutti  luogbi  cbe  laiicffe  fcritte  acio  no  nafcef 
fc  crro.'c  fra  Ic  pri.  belmodo  e  o:dinc  a  Tape  retratpre.o  vero  ifto:narc  i  ^  o  piu  pnrc 
dx  p  erro?e baueflTc  pofte  i  air?  luogo  cb  ooiiefTero  adare  coc  auene  p  fmcoragie.  *rap? : . . 
3nco?a  necefTario  al  bon  quadcrtn'cri  fapcrc  rctrattarc .  o  voi  ©ire  fto?na 


re  ala  fiorenrinavni  parnta  d?e per  erro?e  baucftcpoHa  in  alrro  luogo  dxd- 
la  oouclTe  andarc  •  coinnie  fe  laaeflc  mclTa  in  oare.  6  oouiala  ponerc  in  baucre 
£rccontra.£quandooouia  po:la  atomo  oc«nj*>3rrino£luiIann'(Teaconto 
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p:ouerbio  fona.  £ioe  cbt  non  fa  non  falla.  £  d.-»i  non  fall  j  non<mpar3.£peroinrefrat/ 
tarla.tirraiqflo  inodoXiocflpdolJancl^mcflfa  Iaprira.poniamo1,ioarceoou(a  andarein 
haucre  p  rerrala  pon*aine  i  '.aU^.aUconrro  oelTa  i  bauerc  jxql  taiiro  oe  poiuo.  £  oiraijn  q 
fto  modo  a  ot-rcp  alrretanro  pofto  oincontro  al  oie  cmrcf  ooufa  mctterla  cj  i  baucrevol 
a  carti  'rc.£  tra  fo?a  qlle  mdeffme.S.P.g.p.cbe  ponelh  p  erro.£  oenanvc  a  ditta  ptita  forai 
I'.croci'.o  alrro  fegno.  acio  Icuando  tu  elcoto  laucgbi  alaffare.f  fubiro  porta  qf^a  p  rerrar 
to.cb  c  ^to  fcnulla  bauelft  fcrirtooel  ocuere.£  m  poi  la  rf  poni  i  oirto  bauerc  coe  oouia  an 
darccTbra  bri.  £omme  fe  debbia  fareclbilancio  oel  lib?o  e  ocl  modo  a  repojtare  rn 
lib20  in  laltJo.doe  elqdemo  vcd^io  nd  quadcrno  nuoiio  c  od  modo  a  pontario  con  lo  fuo 
giojnalee  memojialc  e ain't fconn-i oerro c  oifuo:e ocl  Ditto qnaderno,  £ap"'.  tz. 
"Clefte  cofe  finoja  be  notare  bifogna  lx»?a  oar  modo  al  rcpozto  oc  vn  lib?o  in  lal 
tro.cpdo  uoldTemutar libjo.p  tagione  dx  foffc  picnoo  vero  p  02dine  annualc 
ocmilcfimo  coed  piu  ficoliiima' fare pluod>ifamorid?eog:nianno.  marimc 
amileftmi-nuoiri  li  gran  mercatanti  fep?c  lo  obf  iiano.  £  qfjo  arto  infiemi  con  li 
fc^nti.£  Ttetto  dbilando  eel  libro.laql  cofa  voler  fet^rebifogna  grandilTinia  oiligcria.e  p 
wdinc  nrrai  qllo  modo.cioe  -^.farai  oc  bauerc  m  copagno.dx  mal  pojrefti  p  tc  folo  f^r 
lo.£  alui  oarai  in  mano  el  gio'znalc  p  piu  tua  cautella.  £  tu  rirrai  el  qdenio  grande  c  oira  i 
aluigomc^ando  oalap'.pfitandgi'oinaledjecbiamile  carti  od  tuo  qdcrno.  ooue  qUa 
fia pofta.pM oare c poii  bauere.£ cofi  ni  lubbidirai.£  iroi!craifep?e oouc  te manda.  £ ql 
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go  none  te  manda.fe  bauci^i  ql  c5.o  ql  cW.  £  ql  tantoapckaro  rrartro  foK.£  rrouodadola 
ftare  aponto  coe  i  giojnale  l9ncarala.£i9e  pontajaJa.  ovcro  farali  qlcbc  fegno  alibito  i  fu  Ic 
%.o  altrouc  cbe  non  te  3bagliaflfc.£  ql  ral  fegno  o  vero  lan^ata  c\x  cofi  in  altri luocW  fi  co 
ftuma  oir.oiraidx  fa^adcopagno  nd  giomale.ala  medcfima  pti'.  £  guarda  dxmaitu  fc 
$a  lui  nc  lui  fcn<;a  re  potaflc.ovcro  la^^ifle  ptira  alciia  pdx  po:rcbe  naftere  gradi  crroji.po 
dx  la  prita  porata  dx  Hi  vol  oirc  ftar  bilcol  ocbito  modo. £  qllo  ancoza  (e  obf  ua  i  leuar 
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qdano  c  i>cl  gio?nal€ o  oalrri  luocW  dx  aucflfe  notat^  oirte'ptirc  coe  fopja  al.^o.ca?  fo  6t 
to:£  fatto  qllo  p  o?dinc  a  tutro  d  qdcrno  cgio?nale.£  trouando  m  aponto  cocluii  dare  c 
l?aucre  le  pnte  firan  giufle  ebcn  pollc.jfJora  cftlui  nd  giornalc  pbona  memoria  fara  rxti 
lan^atC'O  vero  pot i  a  i  -".fola  ptita.£  tit  nd  qdcrno  uie'i  fo!o  afarne  i  *.p  pti'.  fi  coc  cnina  pti* 
cc giornalcin  qdcrno fcne fa XK>i cofi 0 fa ooiponrt.£ po  ncl ponrare  od  bilancio i gibna^ 
le  acB  c  buono  far  ooi  poti  liio  fotto  lalt°.ale  §;  .o  ucro  ooildcate  i  '.fotto  lalt^cH  oinop  m 
ta  priMtar bff  i oare e  bere  al  qder?  Blcaind giornalc p lodarc  porano oauJti  3l.p.£  plo 
Iwucre 02iero  ale  l  coc  fc  fia  Itio  e  lalt ".  Ha  bn.  j^o  oimcno  fi  p^^na  far  acoja  c6 1  -".poiani 
ra  fola  i  gibjnale.cioc  folo  p  lo  wrc.pdx  ru  poi  per  tcflelfo  ix)?relli  potitarclbancrc  a  qual 
partita  dx  bai  in  oare  nd  quadcrno  fenip?e  fc  manda  per  dx  fubiio  m  l>ai  quiui  d  nuinero 
ode  carti'  oouc  ffa  Ibaucre  quando  bene  qnd  ocl  giornalc  non  tc  mandaflir  ficlx  fconrran  ^ 
dote  tu  con  lui  folo  indare  per  r c  (IdTb  pe>:rci\i  fcquirc  lo  bauerc  ma  piu  commodo  re  fia  c6 
locompagno  a  modo  virto.Qba  fe fojniro d  gio:nalc  oc  potarc a  tc  auanafc  in  quadcrno 
ptita  alcua  dx  non  ucnitTe  porata  in  oare  o  in  bauerc  ocnorana  nd  quade nio  cli:r  crrof . 
d'oedx  qlla  fcranc  poHa  fupfUia  in  ql  bare  o  vero  bauerc.  dqua!  crro:e  tu  fubito  rerrana' 

68 


The  following  is  the  way  you  have  to  proceed  in  adjusting  your  own  business  with  the  business  of 
your  employer.  But  if  you  should  act  for  others  as  an  agent  or  commissioner,  then  you  will  make  out 
a  statement  for  your  employer  just  as  it  appears  in  the  ledger,  crediting  yourself  from  time  to  time 
with  your  commissions  according  to  your  agreements.  Then  at  the  end  you  shall  charge  yourself  with 
the  net  remainder,  or  you  shall  credit  yourself  if  you  had  to  put  in  any  money  of  your  own.  Your 
employer  will  then  go  through  this  statcmeut,  compare  it  with  his  own  book,  and  if  he  finds  it  correct,  he  will 
like  you  better  and  trust  you  more.  For  this  reason,  of  all  tlie  things  that  he  gave  or  sent  you,  you  should 
with  your  own  handwriting  keep  an  orderly  account  when  you  receive  them.     Observe  this  carefully. 

On  tlie  contrary,  if  you  are  tlie  employer,  you  may  have  your  managers  or  commissioners  make  out 
these  statements  for  you.  But  before  these  statements  are  delivered  they  ought  to  be  compared  care- 
fully with  each  entry  in  the  Ledger,  Journal  and  Memorandum  Book,  or  with  any  other  paper  relative 
thereto,  so  that  no  mistake  could  be  made  between  the  parties. 

CHAPTER  31. 

HOW  TO  TAKE  OUT  ONE  OR  MORE  ENTRIES  WHICH  BY  MISTAKE  YOU  MIGHT  HAVE 
ENTERED  IN  A  DIFFERENT  PLACE  FROM  THE  RIGHT  ONE.  WHICH  MAY  HAPPEN  THROUGH 

ABSENTMINDEDNESS. 

The  good  bookkeeper  should  also  know  how  to  take  out — or  as  they  call  it  in  Florence  "stornare" — 
an  entry  which  by  mistake  you  might  have  written  down  in  the  wrong  place  as,  for  instance,  if  you  had 
entered  it  as  a  debit  instead  of  a  credit  entry ;  or  when  you  have  to  enter  it  in  the  account  of  Mr.  Mar- 
tino  and  you  put  it  in  the  account  of  Mr.  Giovanni. 

P^r  at  times  you  cannot  be  so  diligent  that  you  are  unable  to  make  mistakes.  The  proverb  says : 
He  who  does  nothing,  makes  no  mistakes :  he  who  makes  no  mistakes,  learns  nothing. 

And  you  shall  correct  this  entry  as  follows:  If  you  had  placed  this  entry  in  the  debit  column 
while  you  should  have  put  it  in  the  credit  column,  in  order  to  correct  this,  you  shall  make  another 
entry  opposite  this  one  in  the  credit  for  the  same  amount.  And  you  shall  say  thus :  On  such  and  such 
day  for  the  amount  which  has  been  entered  opposite  here  under  the  debit  and  should  have  been  put  in 

the  credit,  see  page,  etc.,  and  you  shall  write  down  in  the  column  of  figures:         L S G P 

which  you  wrote  down  by  mistake  in  the  other  column.  In  front  of  these  two  entries  you  shall  mark 
a  cross  or  any  other  mark  so  that  when  you  make  out  an  abstract  or  statement  of  the  account  you 
should  leave  these  entries  out.  After  you  have  made  this  correction  it  is  just  as  if  you  had  written 
nothing  in  the  debit  column.  You  then  make  the  entry  in  the  credit  column  as  it  should  have  been 
and  everything  will  be  as  it  should  have  been. 

CHAPTER  32. 

HOW  THE  BALANCE  OF  THE  LEDGER  IS  MADE  AND  HOW  THE  ACCOUNTS  OF  AN  OLD 
LEDGER  ARE  TRANSFERRED  TO  A  NEW  ONE. 

After  all  we  have  said  you  must  know  now  how  to  carry  forward  the  accounts  from  one  Ledger 
to  another  if  you  want  to  have  a  new  Ledger  for  the  reason  that  the  old  one  is  all  filled  up  or  because 
another  year  begins,  as  is  customary  in  the  best  known  places,  especially  at  Milan  where  the  big  mer- 
chants renew  every  year  their  Ledgers. 

This  operation,  together  with  the  operations  of  which  we  will  speak,  is  called  the  balancing  {bilan- 
cio)  of  the  Ledger,  and  if  you  want  to  do  this  well  you  shall  do  it  with  great  diligence  and  order.  That 
is,  first  you  shall  get  a  helper  as  you  could  hardly  do  it  alone.  You  give  him  the  Journal  for  greater 
precaution  and  you  shall  keep  the  Ledger.  Then  you  tell  him,  beginning  with  the  first  entry  in  the 
Journal,  to  call  the  numbers  of  the  pages  of  your  Ledger  where  that  entry  has  been  made,  first  in  debit 
and  then  in  credit.  Accordingly  in  turn  you  shall  obey  him  and  shall  always  find  the  page  in  the  Ledger 
that  he  calls  and  you  shall  ask  him  what  kind  of  an  entry  it  is,  that  is,  for  what  and  for  whom,  and  you 
shall  look  at  the  pages  to  which  he  refers  to  see  if  you  find  that  item  and  that  account.  If  the  amount  is 
the  same,  call  it  out.  If  you  find  it  there  the  same  as  in  the  journal,  check  it  (lanzarala — mark  it  with 
a  lance  A  or  V)  or  dot  it  (pontarala) ,  or  any  proper  mark  over  the  lire  mark,  or  in  some  other  place, 
so  that  you  can  readily  see  it.  You  ask  your  helper  to  make  a  similar  mark  or  check — as  we  are  used  to 
call  it  in  some  places — in  the  Journal  at  the  same  entry.  Care  must  be  taken  that  no  entry  will  be  dotted 
(pontata)  either  by  you  without  him,  or  by  him  without  you,  as  great  mistakes  might  be  made  otherwise, 
for  once  the  entry  is  dotted  it  means  that  it  is  correct.  The  same  is  done  in  making  out  statements  of 
accounts  for  your  debtors  before  you  deliver  them.  They  should  have  been  compared  with  the  Ledger 
and  Journal,  or  with  any  other  writing  in  which  the  entries  of  the  transaction  have  been  recorded,  as 
we  have  said  at  Chapter  30. 

After  you  have  proceeded  in  this  way  through  all  the  accounts  of  the  Ledger  and  Journal  and  found  that  the  two 
books  correspond  in  debit  and  credit.  It  will  mean  that  all  the  accounts  are  correct  and  the  entries  entered  correctly. 
Take  care  that  your  helper  shall  mark  each  entry  in  the  Journal  with  two  dots  or  little  lances;  In  the  ledger  you 
mark  down  only  one  for  each  entry  because  you  know  that  for  each  entry  in  the  Journal  there  are  two  made  in  the 
Ledger,  therefore,  the  two  dots  or  lances. 

In  making  this  balance  it  is  good  if  you  mark  in  the  Journal  two  dots  or  lances  under  the  lire,  one  under  the 
other.  This  will  mean  that  the  entry  is  correct  in  debit  and  credit  in  the  Ledger.  Some  use  these  marks  in  the 
Journal:  They  put  a  mark  before  the  per  for  the  debit  and  after  the  lire  for  the  credit.  Any  way  both  customs  are 
good,  however,  one  single  mark  in  the  Journal  might  be  enough,  that  is,  only  the  debit  mark,  because  you  can  then 
mark  yourself  the  credit  side  on  the  page  of  the  Ledger  where  that  entry  is  as  this  page  is  mentioned  in  the  debit  en- 
try in  your  ledger.  It  will  then  not  be  necessary  for  your  helper  to  call  to  you  this  credit  page.  So  that  by  compar- 
ing only  the  debit  side  with  him  you  could  yourself  check  the  credit  side.  But  it  would  be  more  convenient  for  you 
If  you  proceed  with  your  helper  in  the  manner  above  said. 

After  you  have  finished  checking  off  the  Journal,  if  you  find  in  the  Ledger  some  account  or  entry  which  has 
not  been  checked  off  in  debit  or  credit,  this  would  indicate  that  there  has  been  some  mistake  in  the  Ledger,  that  is, 
that  that  entry  is  superfluous  whether  in  the  debit  or  credit,  and  you  shall  correct  this  error 

69 


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70 


by  making  an  entry  for  the  same  amount  in  the  opposite  side— that  is,  if  the  superfluous  entry  was  in  the 
debit,  you  make  an  entry  on  the  credit  side,  or  vice  versa.  And  how  you  should  proceed  to  correct  the  error 
I  have  told  you  in  the  preceding  chapter.  The  same  would  be  done  in  case  your  helper  finds  some  entry  ^ 
which  your  ledger  did  not  show  whether  in  the  debit  or  credit  column,  which  also  would  indicate  an  error 
in  the  ledger  and  should  be  corrected  in  a  different  way.  That  is,  you  should  make  that  entry  or  open 
that  account  in  the  debit  or  credit,  mentioning  the  different  dates,  as  the  entry  would  be  made  later  than 
it  should  have  been.  A  good  bookkeeper  should  always  mention  why  such  differences  arise,  so  that  the 
books  are  above  suspicion ;  thus  the  notary  public  in  his  instruments  need  not  mention  what  has  been  added 
or  omitted.    Thus  the  good  bookkeeper  must  act  so  that  the  mercantile  reputation  be  kept  up. 

But  if  the  said  entry  should  have  been  entered  on  only  one  side,  debit  or  credit,  then  it  would  be  suffi- 
cient for  you  to  put  it  where  it  is  missing,  mentioning  how  it  happened  through  mistake,  etc.  So  you  will 
go  on  through  all  your  accounts  and,  if  they  agree,  you  know  that  your  Ledger  is  right  and  well  kept. 

You  must  know  that  there  may  be  found  in  the  Ledger  some  entries  which  are  not  in  the  Journal  and 
cannot  be  found  in  the  Journal.  These  are  the  difference  between  the  debit  and  credit  placed  there  to 
close  {per  saldi)  the  different  accounts  when  they  are  carried  forward,  as  we  have  said  in  Chapter  28.  Of 
these  balances  or  remainders,  you  will  find  their  correlative  entries  in  the  Ledger,  whether  in  debit  or  credit, 
on  the  page  indicated  in  these  accounts.  When  you  find  each  correlative  entry  in  its  proper  place,  you 
may  conclude  that  your  Ledger  is  in  proper  order. 

What  we  have  said  so  far  about  comparing  the  Ledger  with  the  Journal,  should  be  observed  also  in 
comparing  the  memorandum  book  or  scrap  book  with  the  Journal,  day  by  day,  if  you  use  the  memorandum 
book,  in  the  manner  I  spoke  about  at  the  beginning  of  this  treatise.  If  you  have  other  books,  you  should 
do  the  same.    The  last  book  to  be  compared  should  be  the  Ledger,  the  next  to  the  last  the  Journal. 

CHAPTER  33. 

HOW  THE  TRANSACTIONS  WHICH  MIGHT  OCCUR  WHILE  YOU  BALANCE  YOUR  BOOKS 
SHOULD  BE  RECORDED.  AND  HOW  IN  THE  OLD  BOOKS  NO  ENTRY  SHOULD  BE  MADE  OR 
CHANGED  DURING  THAT  TIME,  AND  REASONS  WHY. 

Aiter  you  have  regularly  done  and  observed  all  these  things,  see  that  no  new  entry  is  made  in  any 
book  which  comes  before  the  Ledger — that  is,  in  the  memorandum  book  and  Journal — because  the  equal- 
izing or  closing  (el  salrlo)  of  all  the  books  should  be  understood  to  take  place  on  the  same  day.  But  if,  while 
you  are  balancing  you  books,  some  transactions  should  occur,  you  shall  enter  them  in  the  new  books  to  which 
you  intend  to  carry  forward  the  old  ones — that  is,  in  the  memorandum  book  or  Journal,  but  not  in  the  Led- 
ger, until  you  have  carried  forward  all  the  different  accounts  of  the  old  Ledger.  If  you  have  not  yet  a  new 
set  of  books,  then  you  will  record  these  transactions  and  their  respective  explanations  on  a  separate  sheet  of 
paper  until  the  books  are  ready.  When  the  new  books  are  ready,  you  enter  them  in  these  books  which  shall 
bear  new  marks — that  is,  if  the  old  ones  that  you  are  balancing  now  were  marked  with  a  cross,  then  you 
should  mark  these  new  ones  with  the  capital  letter  A. 

CHAPTER  34. 

HOW  ALL  THE  ACCOUNTS  OF  THE  OLD  LEDGER  SHOULD  BE  CLOSED  AND  WHY. 
ABOUT  THE  GRAND  TOTALS  OF  THE  DEBITS  AND  CREDITS,  WHICH  IS  THE  PREPARA- 
TION OF  THE  TRIAL  BALANCE. 

After  you  have  done  this  earefuUy,  you  shall  close  your  Ledger  accounts  in  this  way:  You  should 
commence  first  with  cash  account,  then  the  different  debtors,  then  the  merchandise,  and  then  your  custom- 
ers. Transfer  the  remainders  in  Ledger  A,  that  is,  in  the  new  Ledger.  You  should  not,  as  I  have  said 
above,  transfer  the  remainders  in  the  new  Journal. 

You  shall  add  all  the  different  entries  in  debit  and  in  credit,  always  adding  to  the  smaller  side  the 
difference,  as  I  have  told  you  above  when  explaining  the  carrying  forward  of  tlie  remainder.  These  two 
accounts  are  practically  the  same  thing ;  the  only  difference  is  that  in  the  first  case  the  remainder  was  car- 
ried forward  to  another  page  of  the  same  Ledger,  while  in  this  instance  it  is  carried  forward  from  one 
Ledger  to  another.  While  in  the  first  instance  you  would  mark  down  the  new  page  of  the  same  Ledger,  in 
this  case  you  mark  down  the  page  of  the  new  Ledger;  making  the  transfer  from  one  ledger  to  another, 
any  account  should  appear  only  once  in  each  ledger.  This  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  last  entry  of  the  accounts 
of  the  Ledgers. 

In  making  the  transfer,  you  should  proceed  as  follows :  Let  us  suppose  that  the  account  of  Mr.  Mar- 
tino  has  a  debit  remainder  (rcxto)  in  your  "Cross"  Ledger  at  page  60  of  L  12,  S.  15,  G  10.  P.  26, 

and  you  want  to  transfer  it  to  Ledger  A  at  page  8  in  debit;  in  the  "Cross"  Ledger  j-ou  have  to  add  to 
the  credit  column  and  you  shall  put  the  following  at  the  end  of  all  the  other  entries:  On  such  and  such 
day — putting  down  always  the  same  day  in  which  you  do  the  balancing  [lilancio) — per  himself  as  posted 
to  Ledger  A  to  the  debit,  per  remainder  (resto),  wliich  amount  I  add  here  in  order  to  close  (saldo)  — 
value  ;  see  page  8 :  L  12,  S  15,  G  10,  P  26. 

And  then  you  shall  cancel  the  accoimt  in  the  debit  and  credit  diagonally,  as  I  have  told  you  in  talk- 
ing about  the  bringing  forward  of  the  accounts.  Then  put  down  the  total  of  all  the  entries,  in  tlie  debit 
as  well  as  in  the  credit,  so  that  the  eye  can  see  at  a  glance  that  it  is  all  even.  You  shall  also  write 
down  at  the  new  page  in  Ledger  A,  in  the  debit  column,  as  follows:  First  j'ou  put  down  at  the  top  of 
the  page  the  year,  and  you  put  the  day  in  front  of  the  place  where  you  make  the  entry  for  the  reason 
mentioned  in  Chapter  15,  then  you  say,  Mr.  Martino  so  and  so,  debit  (dec  dure — shall  give)  on  such  and 
such  day 

71 


©fftdicrto  nona.rracfaf  He.,ri'^c  fcriptuiis 

(ui"  mcdotio  p  nfio  tratto  ocl  Jibjourodpofto  al  oi'c  l?allcrf  per  faldo  W  qlta.val  a  car.  60. 
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i  qdcmo.B.  cc  caflacaucdflf.robbc  mobili.  e  ftabfl.ocbi'tojicrcditoji.otticii.ftnfane.  pcU' 
do2i  re  coniun  tc.  con  Iiqimli  fc  vfa  a(c  uoltc  andarc  aconro  longo  7C.  £K>a  quclk  paroce 
cbe  noTi  nolc ni:  pojrarc  in  ziito  quadcmo.  B. dx  pozricno  cere  qile  dx  Mo  a  tc  faptcga.' 
no.  tf=  vo  fc  cblmto  a  fcqnarnc  coro  ad  alcu?  coc  (on  fpcfi  oe  mcrcaria.fpeli  de  cafa  intrata 
ifitoc  tuttc  fpcfc*rirao;drnaric.fitn.pcfci6i.fcudu  0  liuclli  iC.qfte  fimili  conucgonfe  faldare 
in lo  incdcfimo (ib:o.crodntIa  t?tita ccl ^ c oanno 0  vcro aDa«;i  c oefauarKi 0  voidire  vw 
Ic  c  oano.i  qfto  incdo  cl?c  fo?o  oarc po:farai'  i  oare cb  rare  fi  poltano  l^auere  i  credito  qllc 
rclc  fpcfi  Diccdo.ncI  faldo  aiiuando  (6c  pin  volroe  M'tro  fcTnp:e  !anieno:c  quancita  in  oajc 
0  i  Ixjucre  p  ^  c  oano  i  qfto a  earn  rSte  tc.  £  cofi  tuttc Ic  l.^aucrai  faldatc  I  qfta  ocl  ^  c  oan 
110  r>ouc  fubtro  poi  fijm  ando  fuo  oare  e  baucre  poirai  cogncfccre  tuo  guadag^.e  pdi'ta  p  d> 
fira  i  t  al  bilando  fatfo  la  parita.cioc  cB  le  cofc  S  fe  oouia  oiffalcare  firan  oilfalcatc  qltc  c\x 
U  oouiano  agiongncre  fira  ^po?n'onatanicte  a  fuoi  Iuocl?i  agiote.ie  fe  tx  qfta  ptira.fira  p 
cl  oarc  c^  lauere  cu  I?aucra  pduno  ql  canto  i  tuo  traUco  oacb'c  lo  gomc(jaln.£  fc  ft'a  pm  lo 
baucre  aloja  oi'rai  d?e  ql  tanto  babia  i  Ditto  tpo  guad3gnato7C.£  veduto  cb  barai  p  qfta 
rutrte^c  oanno  tuo  fe(ito.alo:a  qfta  faldarai  i  laprita  ocl  caucdale.oouc  tid  p:icipio  ocl  tuo 
mancgto  poncfti  loiuctaneoe  tutta  la  ma  facult3.£  faldarala  i  qfto  modo  dxfcl  oano  fc 
4to  fira  piu  cbc  010  ne  guardiciafcuno  c\k  rcalmctc  fo  buon  rpiano  fe  adopa  alo?a  aiuta  ■ 
rai  lobaucre  aniodo  vfato  wccdo e  a  oi  7c.p caucdal  i  qdop  oanno  fecjto  a  earn  TC.ral  7c. 
£  ocpencrai  laptita  oiamctralitcr  i  oarc  e  baucre. vt  fu\pa«cdo  pure  la  fuina  nd  capo  vda 
re  e  Iwuere  c\x  oeue  battere  p3ra.£poi ala  ptita  od  caucdalc  i  ©are  oirai.caucdalc  oic  oar 
a  oi  7C.p  p  e  oanno.  p  wnno  fcc^to  pofto  in  qudia  al  oic  l>aucrc  p  faldo  fuo  val  a  earn  7C. 
f.f.g?  p.7c.£  cofi  fcnc  fol^fccito  vnlc.cb  ferebbe  cpdo  qlla  dcI  p  c  oanno  fc  retrouafle  piu 
i  baucre  d?e  i  oarc  alo2a  fugiogtarcfti  al  oare  p  faldo  ql  tanto  cbiamado  dcaucdale  ale  car 
ti  fuoi  7c.e  alui  la  po2rdtii  baucre  ificmi  Co  lalrrc  robbc  indbili  e  Habili-c  oi  nuouo  i  qfto  ca 
tjedal  qle  couic  cere  Icpzc  lulti'.ptita  o  tuni  l«qdcrni.po?rai  fepjc  eognofcere  nitta  ma  facul 
tagiognedo  li  ocbiti  e  creditid^c  in  lib'.  B.  pojtafti  7c.£  qfta  oel  caucdal  odqdcrno.  cro 
ci  faldarai  anco:a.£  po2tarala  coc  laltre  ncl  qdcrno.  H.  in  rcfto  c  fiiina  0  f  oi  a  pttoi  p  pri 
ta  dx  lo  poi  and?e  fare.ma  fi  coftuma  fada  in  fiiina  pcbc  1  ^  volta  tutto  mo  iuctario  ape.  £ 
recojdate  cbiamar  fue  carri.7C.£  alTerarai  poi  mtte  Icptitc  Dl  qdcrno.  3.ne  lalfabcto  ognu 
na  al  fuo  luogo  coc  oifopra  te  oilTi.cap?  ?".Sno  fcp:c  poffi  co  facilita  n-ouarc  le  tuc  facede 
iecondo  lo:o  occurence e  cofi  fia  faldo  rntto  el  p:imo  quadcrno  con  fuo  giojnale  e  mcniozi 
ale.  £  acio  fta  piu  d:>iaro  oe  oitto  faldo.farai  quefto  altro  fcontro.£iocfumni3rai  in  vn  fO' 
glio  tutto  doare  oel  qu3dcrno.crod.£  ponlo  a  man  rinillr3.£  fnnimarai  mtto  fuo  f?aucre 
£p6lo  aman  ocrtra.£poi  qucfle  vlrime  funime  rcfumniarai.  £  faranc  oc  tutte  quelle 
ocl  oarvna  fiima d?e  fi cbiamara fij jna  ffi marfi.£ cofi  farai  ma  fiima  6  tuttc  qllc  oalatief 
cbe  fid>iamara  ancoza  lei  vna  fijinafiimar0.fl^  lap'.fira  fiima  fummarg.od  oare  c  la  f'a' 
fi  d?fama  fummafiimarii  oc  lo  baucre.©?  k  qfte  ooifdme  fummaru  fira  pare.cioe  cbc  tan 
to  fia  luna  qpto  laln-a.Vj  qlla  od  oare.e  qlla  oelo.baucre.argufrai  cl  tuo  qdcrno  ecrc  bcgui 
dato  fcnuro  c  faldato  p  la  c^^ioc  cb  oi  fopja  nd  cap?  1 4.fo  octto.iQfba  fe  luna  6  oittc funi 
mc  fummaru  auancjflc  laln*a  oenotarcbbeerrond  moquaderno.clqual  poi  con  oiligctii 
ricoucrra trouadoco la induftria  olo  itdlcttoclxoio tclM oato.eco lartefitio  oderagio 
ni  cbe  Iwrai  bene  inpararo.laqual  pte  coc  nd  p;rcipi0  xxl  pnte  oieemoe  fummamcte  ncccf 
fariii  albon  nicrcatante  altramente  non  fiando  bon  ragi'oncri ndi  foifatri  andara  a  tafloi 
coe  eiecl?o.  £  poralline  fccjre  mdto  oano.adonca  co  ogni  Ihidio  c  cura  ffor^arari  fop2a  mt 
to  ccrebubn  ragioncri  dxl  modoa  tua  comodita  in  q'ffa  fublima  opa  a  pieno  a  tua  bafjan 
5a.te  lo  oato  con  tutte  fuc  rcgolc  a  mtri  fuo  luogbi  ocbitamcnte  polte.fi  coc  tutto  faalmcte 
per  la  tauola  ne  I  p2inapio  oi  qfta  opera  porta  po2raitrouare.£  anco2a  p  le  cofc  octte  ^  fe 
quente  come  oifop?a  ncl  cap".  1 2"  tc  .pmifi  a  piu  tuo  rccordo  faro  i  °,cpilogo.cicc  fuman'a 
rccolta  ccnriale  oe  mtto  cl  ptitc  trattato.djc  uiolto  fcn<,a  oubio  te  fia  vtilc.  £  p  mc  rc(c:d3j 
rati  lalrifiimopgarecbc  afuclaudccglo2ia.5opolTadcbcncimeglioopado4)cedcrc  7C. 
bd  mooo  c  02dinc  afap  tcncr  te  fcripture  menute  coc  foiio  fcntti  oe  mano  Icttcre  fami' 
lian police  ^ccitT Mc c altriiftrumcrie od  rcgillro oc lelfe.rp02tao.  Ca°  ^T 
£quita  d  modo  e  o;dine  oc  faper  tcncr  le  fcripmre  e  cbiaresce.  mcnHtc  comme 
(bnno  fcritti oe  mano  oe  pagamcnti facri  quictan^c  oe cambi.oe  robbe  oatc.lct 
tere  f9miltan.qua(i  cofc  fonno  fra  nicrcanri  oe  gradi^ua  lliina.e  moUa  impo: 


72 


per  himself  as  per  remaiuder  {i-esto)  carried  from  "Cross"  Ledger,  which  has  beeu  added  in  the  credit  col- 
umn in  order  to  close  {saldo),  see  page  60,  value:  L  12,  S  15,  Q  10,  P  26. 

Thus  you  will  proceed  with  all  the  accounts  of  thi;  Gross  Ledger  which  jou  want  to  transfer  to  Ledger 
A:  cash  account,  capital  account,  merchandise,  pei-soual  property,  real  property,  debtors,  creditors, 
public  officers,  brokers,  public  weighmen,  etc.,  with  whom  we  have  sometimes  very  long  accounts.  But  as* 
to  those  accounts  which  you  should  not  care  to  transfer  to  Ledger  A,  as,  for  instance,  your  own  personal 
accounts  of  which  you  are  not  obliged  to  give  an  account  to  another,  as,  for  instance,  small  mercantile  ex- 
penses, household  expenses,  income  and  expenses  and  all  extraordinary  expenses — rentals,  pescioni,  feudi  or 
livelli,  etc.  AU  these  accounts  should  be  closed  {saldore)  in  the  Cross  Ledger  into  the  favor  and  damage  ac- 
count, or  increase  and  deficit,  or  profit  and  damage  account,  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  You  shall  enter  them 
-  in  the  debit  column,  as  it  is  rare  that  these  expense  accounts  should  show  anything  in  the  credit  side.  As 
I  often  have  told  you,  add  the  difference  to  the  column,  either  debit  or  credit,  which  shows  a  smaller  total, 
saying:  Per  profit  and  loss  in  this  account,  see  page,  etc.  By  doing  so,  you  shall  have  closed  (saldore)  all 
these  different  accounts  in  the  profit  and  loss  account  through  which  then,  by  adding  all  the  debit  and  all 
the  credit  entries,  you  will  be  able  to  know  what  is  your  gain  or  loss,  for  with  this  balance  all  entries  are 
equalized ;  the  things  that  had  to  be  deducted  were  deducted,  and  the  things  that  had  to  be  added  were 
added  proportionately  in  their  respective  places.  If  this  account  shows  more  in  the  debit  than  in  the  credit, 
that  means  that  you  have  lost  that  much  in  your  business  since  you  began.  If  the  credit  is  more  than  the 
debit,  that  means  that  in  the  same  period  of  time  you  have  gained. 

After  you  know  by  the  closing  {saldorai)  of  this  account  what  your  profit  or  loss  is,  then  you  shall  close 
this  account  into  the  capital  account  in  which,  at  the  begimiing  of  your  management  of  your  business,  you 
entered  the  inventory  of  all  your  worldly  goods.  You  shall  close  the  account  in  this  way:  If  the  losses 
are  in  excess — from  which  state  of  affairs  may  God  keep  every  one  who  really  lives  as  a  good  Christian — 
then  you  have  to  add  to  the  credit  in  the  usual  manner,  saying :  On  such  and  such  day,  Per  capital  on 
account  of  losses  in  this  account,  see  page  so  and  so,  vahie,  etc.  Then  you  shall  cancel  the  account  with  a 
diagonal  line  in  debit  and  credit,  and  put  in  the  total  amount  of  all  the  debit  entries,  as  well  as  of  the  credit 
entries,  which  should  be  equal.  And  then  in  the  capital  accoiuit,  you  shall  write  in  the  debit  column: 
Capital  debit  {dee  dare — shall  give)  on  such  and  such  day,  per  profit  and  loss  account  on  account  of  losses 
as  marked  down  in  the  credit  column  of  said  account  in  order  to  close  {per  saldo),  value,  etc.: 

L ,  S ,  6 ,  P 

If  instead  there  should  be  a  profit,  which  will  happen  when  the  profit  and  loss  account  would  show- 
more  in  the  credit  than  in  the  debit,  then  you  should  add  the  difference  to  the  debit  side  to  make  the  equali- 
zation, referring  to  the  capital  account  and  respective  page.  You  should  credit  the  same  amount  to  the  capi- 
tal account,  making  the  entry  on  the  credit  side  where  all  the  other  goods  of  yours  have  been  entered,  per- 
sonal or  real.  Therefore,  from  the  capital  account,  which  always  must  be  the  last  account  in  the  entire 
Ledger,  you  may  always  learn  what  your  fortune  is,  by  adding  together  aU  the  debits  and  all  the  credits, 
which  you  have  transferred  in  Ledger  A. 

Then  this  capital  account  should  be  closed  and  carried  forward  with  the  other  accounts  to  Ledger 
A,  either  in  total  or  entry  by  entry.  You  can  do  either  way,  but  it  is  customary  to  transfer  only  the  total 
amount,  so  that  the  entire  value  of  your  inventory  {inventario)  is  shown  at  a  glance.  Don't  forget  to  num- 
ber the  pages,  after  which  you  will  enter  aU  the  different  accounts  in  the  alphabet  of  Ledger  A,  each  at 
its  own  place,  as  I  have  said  at  Chapter  5,  so  that  you  may  find  very  easily  the  account  you  want.  In 
this  way  the  entire  first  Ledger,  and  with  it  the  Journal  and  memorandum  book,  are  closed  and  closed  up. 

In  order  that  it  may  be  clearer  that  the  books  were  correct  before  the  said  closing,  you  shall  sum- 
marize on  a  sheet  of  paper  all  the  debit  totals  that  appear  in  the  Cross  Ledger  and  place  them  at  the  left, 
then  you  shall  write  down  all  the  credit  totals  at  the  right.  Of  aU  these  debit  totals  you  make  one  sum 
total  which  is  called  grand  total  {summa  sunimarum) ,  and  likewise  you  shall  make  a  sum  total  of  aU  the 
credit  totals,  which  is  also  called  grand  total  {summa  summarum) .  The  first  is  the  grand  total  of  the  debits, 
and  the  second  is  the  grand  total  of  the  credits.  Now,  if  these  two  grand  totals  are  equal — that  is,  if  one 
is  just  as  much  as  the  other — that  is,  if  those  of  the  debit  and  those  of  the  credit  are  alike — then  you  shall 
conclude  that  your  Ledger  was  very  well  kept  and  closed,  for  the  reason  that  I  gave  you  in  Chapter  14. 
But  if  one  of  the  grand  totals  is  bigger  than  the  other,  that  would  indicate  a  mistake  in  your  Ledger, 
which  mistake  you  will  have  to  look  for  diligently  with  the  indiLstry  and  the  intelligence  God  gave  you  and 
with  the  help  of  what  you  have  learned.  This  part  of  the  work,  as  we  said  at  the  beginning,  is  highly  neces- 
sary to  the  good  merchant,  for,  if  you  are  not  a  good  bookkeeper  in  your  business,  you  will  go  on  grop- 
ing like  a  blind  man  and  may  meet  great  losses. 

Therefore,  take  good  care  and  make  all  efforts  to  be  a  good  bookkeeper,  such  as  I  have  shown  you  fully 
in  this  sublime  work  how  to  become  one.  I  have  given  you  all  the  rules  and  indicated  the  places  where 
everything  can  be  found,  in  the  table  of  contents  which  I  have  placed  at  the  beginning  of  this  work. 

Of  all  the  things  thus  far  treated,  as  I  promised  you  in  Chapter  12,  I  will  now  give  you  a  summary 
of  the  most  essential  things  for  your  own  recollection,  which  no  doubt  will  be  very  useful  to  you. 

And  remember  to  pray  God  for  me  so  that  to  His  praise  and  glory  I  may  always  go  on  doing  good. 

CHAPTER  35. 

HOW  AND  IN  WHAT  ORDER  PAPERS  SHOULD  BE  KEPT.  SUCH  AS  MANUSCRIPTS, 
FAMILY  LETTERS,  POLICIES,  PROCESSES,  JUDGMENTS  AND  OTHER  INSTRUMENTS  OF 
WRITING  AND  THE  RECORD  BOOK  OF  IMPORTANT  LETTERS. 

Here  follow  the  manner  and  rules  for  keeping  documents  and  manuscripts,  such  as  papers  relative  to 
payments  made,  receipts  for  drafts,  or  gift.s  of  merchandise,  confidential  letters,  which  things  are  verj'  im- 
portant for  merchants 

73 


©fffincf  0  nona  .Zracf  atu?.  ]ri'.©f  fcripf  uris  J09 

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mcfp  £  finifoclniefc  Iccale  invn  niaftae  npolle  oa^rc  (cgnando  ognuuo  oefw^cloichc  la 
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flfarji  vn  itiaco  grade c  luoaa  cfegna  fuo  iHO?  £  q'do  poi  alcunalra  a  ql  ncom.  bauerai 
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If  oS  foife  to(rfaccdee6c  oidamo.T\oma.f  ircce:  j^^ap^ 

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fra  mcrearan  life  ufa  ponerc  oifopra  itel  pjinapio  oelalf  a.tif^a  p  '.a  niodo  bon  ypiajio  ba 
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Diatc  £  farai  i^fi-crori.  1 494.a  oi-i  y.apnlc  i  vinegi3.£  poifeqra  tuo  Dire,  eioe  caniriino 
it  \m  liftudiatie  altregcnricoc  fonno  rdigiofiic.cbe  non  tratKano.  vfano  nel  luogo  00 
re'lalf  fffra  c  fatia  pcner  "Oi  lotto  con  lo  oi  e  fl&°.£  liniercaii  coftumano  Dilop2a  a  modo 
drtro  alt '  incnte  non  vi  poncndocl  oi  fercbc  confulione.ie  di  te  km  fanobeffe  {xlx  Icwici 
la  12a  dx  non  b&  d  oi  nctato  dx  Ic  fatta  oc  notte.£  qlla  dx  non  a  notato  d  luogo  fe  oil 
dx  fe  fatta  i  lait'.tnodo.c  non  in  qllox  oltra  le  betfc  dx  pcgio  e  ne  feque  kandalo^Tt  ouv 
£rncdit3  dxl>araifua  rcfpoftaixifcia  ol  deputato4uogo  la  pom  coe  bai  ?tflo.£flRo  d^e 
Ditto  l?abiaino  oe  k'.fola  itcdilo  p  tutte.  tlndc  e anco:a  oanotarc  dxq'do  U  Iredx  tu  ma 
di  foflcro  w  Jportanca.qUc  tale  fe  vogliano  p^  rcgiftrarit  m  rn  lib2o  pa  etc fdo  a  qfto  dpu 
tato  nd  21  rcaiftro  n  ocuc  ponerc  la  Ira  oc  wrbo  ad  vtririi  fdla  fia-D  grandc  ipo^taija  coc 
foniio  li=c  oc  cambio.o  oc  robe  mandate  0 1. 7ix>  vero  re  giftrarefolo  la  fuWten^a.coc  mo 
mo:ialc otccdoicifto oi K-babiamofcrittto  altalc tc.c6ei>Io tale ic.limai?damc  letalco 
fe  7c  f  0  D  i^  ftia  oc  01  tanti  ica  comife  e  ndMde  Tc.la  qual  poncino  in  tafca  7i.  ^  01  luo:c 
fidlata  di>cl>3rai  la  tua  d?c  madi  c  fatto  la  fopza  fcritta  fufa.  |>  inolti  ponerui  el  fuo  fegno 
01  fuo:c  acio  ficognofca  d>c fia  de  mercanti.a  iquali  inolto  fe  oeuc bauerc  riguardo.^cbc 
fon  oHi  coe  \  pncipio  oiqllo  trattato  oiccmo  dx  mantcgano  le  rcpub.£  a  qtto  fine  ocrcyi 
ucrcntia  el  fimilc  li*K"".TCardinali.pong3no  oefore  ellojo  oiftito  nomc^cionifu  ft,  pdfifai 
fare  oc  non  faoe  oc  d>i'(a  fofll-.  £  molto  piu  agtamcje  el  fancto  padre  ra  le  fuc  patetcmerc 
awe  coe  fdno  bollcbKuilcgi  tc.iluega  dx  alcunc  cole  piu  itrifcdx.poga  fottod  figilloiM 
DcfcatoK  7C  teqli  Ire  poi  a  mefc  ^  mefe  0  rero  anno  g  anno  rao:rai  i  mafti  ovcrofilc<c 
oa  \xt  le  poni  o:dinatamctc  i  vno  armaro.o  lularetto.iecuro.£  coe  nafcano  ola  ^ojnata  co 
niafetta  ado  pofli  piu  pfto a  tuc  occurc'ce  retrouarle  d  laqlcofa.no  euro  piu  oire  }^bU>  atxs 
ftanca  niaiintcfo  7C.  Scn'tti  oe  tnano  no  pagati  oc  tuoiocbiton'comcre  acenaioifop24 
«d  cap'  1 7  feruarai'in  vn  altro  luogo  piu  fcercto  coe  fon  calTi  e  fcatole  pnTiate  7c.£  leqcta 
cc  finnTitcr.fcrua  in  luogo  (ecuro  g  ogni  ref^KIIo.Oi^a  q-do  tu  pagalTctu  ad  altri  einccuerc 
faralo  fcriuere  i  1  ?  libxtfo  oc  pagatncii coe  in  pjtcipio  te  oixi.acio  no  \i  pofit  cofi  facilineK 
fmarfrc  c  pderc.£  cofiobfcniaraioc  Ic  polli^e  dx  Ipojtano.  coe  fono  notoic  oe  fcnfaria  0 
tncrcari  0  oe  pcfadoh  0  bolctte  o  robbe  nitflc  0  tratte  dc  oogane  oaniare  0  oa  tdra  e  fetc*^ 
o  carmlinc  oc  cofoli  0  aim'  otfic ij  0  altri  iftruincri  oe  notari  i  ^amena  qli  fe  ortjano  rcpo^ 
re  f  vn  Inoaooa  Pte.£  coft  copicfcnmirc  c  .pccITi  Ddite  oe  .pcaraio.i.£auoc3ti.  £  fiiTiiimg 

tc  ebuonol?auerc  Vfi  lib".fcgatoBUrcco:di.dxfid.-'iainireco2daie  ndql  al3^o:nata  farai 
(c  tuc  mcmojic  ode  cofcdx  oubitafle  no  reco^dartccbc  te  pozic  toznar  oa'no.ndql  o$ni  o 
al  manco  la  (era  nance  vadi  adojmirc  oarai  ocbio.fc  cofa  folTe  oaffKdire  0  dafare  dx  non 
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74 


and,  if  they  are  lost,  may  cause  great  danger. 

First,  we  shall  talk  of  confidential  letters  which  you  may  write  to  or  receive  from  your  customers. 
You  should  always  keep  these  in  a  little  desk  until  the  end  of  the  month.    At  the  end  of  the  month  tie. 
them  together  in  a  bunch  and  put  them  away  and  write  on  the  outside  of  each  the  date  of  receipt  and  the 
date  of  reply,  and  do  this  month  by  month,  then,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  of  all  these  papers  make  one  big 
bundle  and  write  on  it  the  year,  and  put  it  away.    Any  time  you  need  a  letter,  go  to  these  bundles. 

Keep  in  your  desk  pouches  in  which  to  place  the  letters  that  your  friends  may  give  you  to  be  sent 
away  with  your  own  letters.  If  the  letter  should  be  .sent  to  Rome,  put  it  in  the  Rome  pouch,  and  if  to 
Florence,  put  it  in  the  Florence  pouch,  etc.  And  then  when  you  send  your  messenger,  put  these  letters 
with  yours  and  send  them  to  your  correspondent  in  that  particular  town.  To  be  of  service  is  always  a 
good  thing,  and  it  is  customary  also  to  give  a  gratuity  for  that  good  service. 

You  should  have  several  little  compartments,  or  little  bags,  as  many  as  there  are  places  or  cities  in 
which  you  do  business,  as,  for  instance,  Rome,  Florence,  Naples,  Milan,  Genoa,  Lyon,  London,^  Bruges,  and 
on  each  little  bag  you  shall  write  its  proper  name — that  is,  you  will  write  on  one  "Rome,"  on  another 
"Florence,"  etc.,  and  in  these  bags  you  shall  put  the  letters  that  somebody  might  send  you  to  be  forwarded 
to  those  places. 

"When  you  have  answered  a  letter  and  sent  the  answer  away,  you  shall  mention  on  the  outside  of  the 
said  letter  the  answer,  by  whom  you  sent  it  and  the  day,  just  as  you  did  when  you  received  the  letter. 

As  to  the  day,  you  shall  never  forget  to  mark  it  in  any  of  your  transactions,  whetlier  small  or  large, 
and  especially  in  writing  letters  in  which  these  things  must  be  mentioned,  namely :  the  year,  the  day,  the 
place,  and  your  name.  It  is  customary  to  put  the  name  at  the  end  of  the  right  side  in  a  corner.  It  is  cus- 
tomary among  merchants  to  write  the  year  and  the  day  and  the  place  at  the  top  at  the  beginning  of  the 
letter.  But  first,  like  a  good  Christian,  you  shall  always  remember  to  write  down  the  glorious  name  of  our 
Savior — tliat  is,  the  name  of  Jesus,  or  in  its  place  the  sign  of  the  Holy  Cross,  in  whose  name  our  trans- 
actions must  always  be  made,  and  you  shall  do  as  follows:  Cross  1494.  On  this  17th  day  of  April  in 
Venice. 

And  then  go  on  with  what  you  want  to  say — that  is,  "My  very  dear,"  etc.  But  the  students  and 
other  people,  like  the  monks  or  priests,  etc.,  who  are  not  in  business,  are  used  to  writing  the  day  and  year 
at  the  end  after  writing  the  letter.  The  merchants  are  accustomed  to  put  at  the  top  as  we  have  said.  If 
you  should  do  otherwise  and  not  write  the  day,  there  will  be  confusion  and  you  will  be  made  fun  of  be- 
cause we  say  the  letter  which  does  not  bear  the  day  was  written  during  the  night,  and  the  letter  which 
does  not  bear  the  place  we  say  that  it  was  written  in  the  other  world,  not  in  this  one ;  and  besides  the  fun 
made  of  you,  there  would  be  vexations,  which  is  worse,  as  I  have  said. 

After  you  have  sent  your  answer  away,  you  put  your  letter  in  its  proper  place ;  and  what  we  have 
said  of  one  letter  will  apply  to  all  the  other  letters.  It  must  be  observed  that  when  the  letters  you  send 
away  are  of  importance,  you  should  first  make  a  record  of  them  in  a  book  which  is  kept  for  this  special 
purpose.  In  this  book  the  letter  should  be  copied,  word  for  word,  if  it  is  of  great  importance — as,  for  in- 
stance, the  letters  of  exchange,  or  letters  of  goods  sent,  etc.,  otherwise  only  a  record  of  the  substantial  part 
should  be  made  similarly  as  we  do  in  the  memorandum  book,  saying:  On  this  day,  etc.,  we  have  written 
to  so  and  so,  etc.,  and  we  send  him  the  following  things,  etc.,  as  per  his  letter  of  such  and  such  date  he 
requested  or  gave  commission  for,  etc.,  which  letter  we  have  placed  in  such  and  such  pouch. 

After  you  have  sealed  the  letter  on  the  outside  and  addressed  it,  it  is  the  custom  of  many  to  mark  on 
the  outside  your  special  mark,  so  that  they  may  know  that  it  is  correspondence  of  a  merchant,  because 
great  attention  is  given  to  merchants,  for  they  are  the  ones,  as  we  said  at  the  beginning  of  this  treatise, 
who  support  our  republics. 

For  this  purpose,  the  Most  Reverend  Cardinals  do  likewise,  by  writing  their  name  on  the  outside  of 
their  correspondence  so  that  nobody  could  claim  as  an  excuse  that  he  did  not  know  from  whom  it  was.  The 
correspondence  of  the  Holy  Father  remains  open  so  that  its  contents  may  be  known,  like  bulls,  privileges, 
etc.,  although  for  things  which  are  more  personal  or  confidential  the  seal  representing  the  Fisherman  {Pes- 
catore—St.  Peter)  is  used  to  seal  them. 

All  these  letters,  tlien,  month  by  month,  year  by  year,  you  shall  put  together  in  a  bundle  and  you  will 
keep  them  in  an  orderly  way  in  a  chest,  wardrobe  or  cupboard.  As  you  receive  them  during  the  day,  put 
them  aside  in  the  same  order,  so  that  if  necessary  you  might  find  them  more  easily;  and  I  won't  talk  any 
longer  about  this,  as  I  know  that  you  have  understood  it. 

You  shall  keep  in  a  more  secret  place,  as  private  boxes  and  chests,  all  manuscripts  of  your  debtors 
who  have  not  paid  you,  as  I  said  in  Chapter  17.  Likewise  keep  the  receipts  in  a  safe  place  for  any  emerg- 
ency. But  when  you  should  pay  others,  have  the  other  party  write  the  receipt  in  a  receipt  book,  as  I  told 
you  at  the  beginning,  so  that  a  receipt  cannot  be  easily  lost  or  go  astray. 

You  shall  do  the  same  as  to  important  writing,  as,  for  instance,  memoranda  of  the  brokers,  or  of  mer- 
chants, or  of  weighmen,  or  relative  to  goods  placed  in  or  taken  out  of  the  custom  house,  either  land  or  sea 
custom  houses,  and  judgments  or  decrees  of  the  consuls  or  of  other  public  officials,  or  all  kinds  of  notarial 
instruments  written  on  parchments  which  ought  to  be  kept  in  a  place  apart.  The  same  should  be  said  of 
the  copies  of  instruments  and  papers  of  attorneys  or  counselors  at  law  relative  to  lawsuits. 

It  is  also  wise  to  have  a  separate  book  for  memoranda,  which  we  call  memoranda  book,  in  which  day  by 
day  you  shall  keep  a  record  of  the  things  that  you  might  be  afraid  of  forgetting  and,  if  you  forget  them, 
may  prove  to  be  dangerous  to  you.  Every  day,  the  last  thing  in  the  evening,  just  before  going  to  bed,  you 
shall  glance  over  tliis  book  to  see  whether  everything  which  should  have  been  done  has  been  done,  etc., 
and  you  shall  cancel  with  your  pen  the  things  that  have  been  don(>,  and  in  this  book  you  shall  make  a  rec- 
ord of  the  things  that  you  have  lent  to  your  neighbor  or  friend  for  one  or  two  days,  as,  for  instance,  store 
vases,  caldrons,  or  any  other  thing. 

76 


©iftiiictio  noni.Xr  jcfatiisri'^c  fcript  mie 

UmHi  docuniJti  con  di  aim  vnl  jflimi  fopia  dari  repo:rai  7^.piu  c  maco  qotviando  cfimfnu 
cndo  f 0  luoabi  c  rpi  a  te  per  tuoingcgno  parcra.pcro  eft  non  c  polTibflc  apicno  dc  tutto  a 
ponto  per  ponto  i  mcrca  tu  dare  nojtn  j.c  noriria  pocft  come  altrc  uoltc  k  ditrorol  piu  port 
afarc  i  °  mercatite  clx  un  dotto?c  dcIcggi.5dco  ^c.Cok  cb  fiiio^a  fono  date.rebii  lap:ed8 
rai  fon  certo  i  rutte  tiie  faccde  bri  te  reggiarai.medilte  el  tuo  pcrcgriiio  uigcgno  7L 
giuin  ti  ari'o  oc  rcgolc  £  modi  fopn  il  rcnerc  vno  lib?o  01  inercanri.  £ap".     \6. 

■gTum  li  c:cduo2i  ft  ocboiio  mctrcre  al  lib:o  oala  lua  niano  ocftra.£  lidebfto?i  wla  cui 
mano  fttiiTlra.  Xuttc  le  pritc  d^e  fe  metteno  allib?  Ixino  a  ecrc  ooppie:cioe  fe  tu  fai  vno  ere 
dito:c  al  U  fare  1  °.t)cbifo:e.£iafcua  pnra  cofi  i  Dare  c  oc  i  ixre  t>bbc  cotcnerc  ife.',.cofe  00c 
flgi'oMio  ocl  pagameto.la  foma  oel  pagamero.f  h  c agioe  oel  paganiero.  luln'mo 
nomc  ocla  grita  oel  ocbito  ocbbc eerc  ilpfio  oella  prira  oel  crediro.  5»  qMo  «tiedefimo 
fi'djno  clx  c  fcrirta  la  ptira  ocl  oebi'ro.  i  qllo  mcdeumo  giojno  oebbcccrc  qlla  oel  crediro. 
t,o  brtancio  oel  lib?  unrcde  1  ?  foglio  piegato  p  lologo  fiil  qle  oala  niano  oeflra  ficopiao 
li  trediton"  oel  lib'.c  oala  finiftra  li  oebito:i.£  vcdcfe  fe  lain  ma  oel  oare  e  qpto  qlla  oe  lauc 
re.£  allo?a  il  lib'.rta  bene.  £l  bilaudo  oel  lib2o  ocbbe  ecre  pari.abc  dx  tanto  ocbbe  ect- 
la  luma  iion  oico  oe  cxdito:i.ne  oebtto:Lfl^a  oicola  fiinia  oel  credito  cpto  la  fiinia  oel  oe 
bi'to.£  no  ecndo  faria  errojc  ncl  lib2o.  £1  conto  oi  caflTa  coniiiene  d?e  fcp:e  fia  oebirrice. 
ovcramete  pari.  £  fe  altn'mete  fuffi:  faria  erro2c  nellibjo.  ^on  fi  ocbbe  c  non  fipuo  fare 
r'.ocbitojcal  libro  fcnca  lice^a  e  uolura  oi  qllo  tale  d?3  aec're  ocbitoje  e  fe  pure  fifscclTe  q  1- 
fa  fcrittura  feria  falfa  iRe  fimilmcte  non  fi  puo  po;re  neppati  ne  conditioni  a.  1  ?  credito  fe 
<a  liccca  e  rolonta  oelcredito:e.£  fe  purefifacelTeqllafcn'ttura  faria  falfa.  £H!b°.coiiuie 
ne  d?e  fia  turto  tratto  fuojt  a  1  ^medefima  moeta.(L]f>a  octro  poibil  noiarc  qllo  cf3  a  cadef 
fe  0  ouc.o  S '0  ii02m.o  fcudi  00:0.0  qllo  cl?e  fufTi  Cba  nel  rrarrc  fuori  conuicne  cbc  fia  tut 
to  a  I  ^medefima  moncta  coc  p:iripj9fti  illib'.cofi  coiuiicncfeguire.  la  ^tita  oel  ocbtto. 
o  oel  credito  clx  ft  fa  i  conto  oe  calXi  fi  puo  abjeuiarc  chi  vnolc.cioc  fen^a  oire  lacagionc  fo 
lamcte  oire  oa  talc  oi  talc.o  a  tik  oi  tale.^lx  la  cagionc  fi  uienc  a  oicbiarar  nclla  j?iita  op 
pofiia.  feaucdo  a  fare  i°.c6to  nuouofi  ocbbe  fcnuere  i'cana  noua  fencj  to:narc  adictro  an 
con  cH  a  orietro  vitrouafTifpacio  oa  metTcrla./5on  fioicfcriucre  idrietro.Of^afcpzeaue 
d  per  o:dine  coevanno li giozni oekpo  cbc  mai non  rito?nano  indneto  £  fe  pure fi  faccfle 
faria  oa  rcputare  qllo  lib:o  falfo.  S  c  1  *.partita  folTc  alibjo  mclTa  per  errore  cbc  non  do 
uefTi  ecrc  coeaduicnc  ale  vdfc  per ifmemojagine  erulai)olelTiifto2nare  faraicofi  fcngna 
qlla  talc  partita  in  margineouna  crodoouna.  fe.  £  dipoifcriui  f  *.gtira  alincontro.cicea 
[0  oppofiip  oi  qlla  ncl  mcdefimo  conto.cioc  Tela  parnta  errata  fulTc  crcdirricc.poinamo  oi 
^  Jo^  1 0  6  6.£  m  (a  farai  oebitricc.£  dirai.e  dc  dare.  8:  fo.f  1  o  6  t.fonno  per  la  partita  di' 
ptro  fcgnata  aod  cbc  fi  ftoma  perdxera  errata  e  non  bauciia  a  ecre.£  qfta  partita  fegna 
la.  crod  coc  c  laltra  c  d  fatta.  jQuando  lofpado  duno  coto  fufTe  pieno.in  modo  eft  no  u< 
potcflc  mettere  piu  gtite.£  tuvolclTi  rirare  qllo  conto  mnani;i.:f  a  cofiguarda  qllo  eft  e  fl  re 
fto  del  ditto  conto.doc  fcli  rcHa  Iwuere  0  a  dare  £>?a  poniamo  cbc  qllo  conto  refti  l?auere 
S  28  P  4  d  i.bico  cl?c  tudcbbifarc  1 ".  verfo  foletto  oala  parte  oppofita  fen^a  mettere gioz' 
1104  diraicofii.£  dc  dare.  S  2  8  F  4  0  2  .per  rcfto  oi"  qllo  conto  polio bauere  in  qllo  a  car.e  d 
fa  tto.£  lo  dctto  verfo  fi  dcbe  fcgnare  in  margi'nc  dauanti  cofi^noc  iR  *.  cbe  U^nifkn  rcllo 
doc  dxl  dctto  uerfo  non  ne  dcbif:ice  an'cor  cbe  fia  dala  banda  del  debito?e.LlRa  uienc  a  cP 
fere  trafpojtato  qllo  credito  per  la  via  del  dcbito.  ©2a  ti  couiene  uolgere  carta  e  andare  ti' 
to  auann  cbe  tmoui  1  ^c3rta  nuoua.£  dui  farcaedif02c  rt  dctto  confo.£  nominarlo  e  fa" 
rcEtiranuouafc^  mcttfruiilgi*02no.£dirai  cofi  tale  di  talc  b  tali  debere.  s  i8i'4.62.f5 
no  per  rello  duno  fuo  conto  Icuatoin  qllo  a  ca.  £  qJla  parrita  d  debbi  fcgnaze  in  marginc 
cofi.  doe  "8^°.  cbcfignifica  rcllo£  e  fatra.£  cod  comme  io  to  moflro  quando  ilconto  rcUa 
abauerc  cofi  ancorabaiafare  quando reflafliadarccioequdlocai  melTo dala  banda  dd 
credito  metter  date  b^nda  del  dcbito. 

nandod  lib"  fufle  tutto  picno  0  uecbio  e  tu  udcITi  ridullo  a  1  ?  alt"  li".  nuouo 
fa  cofi  p  .ti  couicnc  vcdcrc  cbc  fe  il  tuo  lib",  vccbio  e  fcgnato  i  fu  lacoucrta  poni 
amo  ^  cafo.  B .  bifogna  eft  i  ful  lib?  nuouo  ooue  lo  voi  ridurrc  fia  fcgnato  in  (a 
la  couerta.  3&.  pdx  li  lib'.oe  mercanri  rano  p  02dic  lu  no  ooppo  lalt'.f o  f  e  lie 
Cdo.a  be  7c.£  lapoilcuare  ilbilando  oel  lib?  ved^io  clx  fia  giullo  e  pen  coc  c^bba  dTcrc 
CM  qllo bilancio copiarc  turn  li  credit02i c  oebit02i  i  ful  lib'.nuouo  wrn p  o?dine  c6c  dll 
ftsno  i  fjU  bil5do.£  fare  tisti  li  ocbit02i  c  credtf02i  ciafcij  0  oa  pfe^  lafcia  adafc?  tito  (jpatid 


76 


These  rules,  and  the  other  very  useful  rules  of  which  I  have  spoken  before,  you  shall  follow  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  localities  and  times,  you  shall  be  more  or  less  particular,  adding  or  omitting  as  it  seems  best 
to  you,  because  it  is  impossible  to  give  rules  for  every  little  thing  in  the  mercantile  business,  as  we  have 
already  said.  The  proverb  says  that  we  need  more  bridges  to  make  a  merchant  than  a  doctor  of  laws  can 
make. 

If  you  understand  well  all  the  things  that  I  have  spoken  of  so  far,  I  am  sure  you  with  your  intelli- 
gence will  carry  on  your  business  well. 

CHAPTER  36. 
SUMMARY  OF  THE  RULES  AND  WAYS  FOR  KEEPING  A  LEDGER. 

All  the  creditors  must  appear  in  the  Ledger  at  the  right  hand  side,  and  all  the  debtors  at  the  left. 

All  entries  made  in  the  ledger  have  to  be  double  entries — that  is,  if  you  make  one  creditor,  you  must 
make  some  one  debtor. 

Each  debit  (shall  give — dee  dare)  and  credit  (shall  have — dee  havere)  entry  must  contain  three  things, 
namely:    the  day,  the  amount  and  the  reason  for  the  entry. 

The  last  name  in  the  entry  of  the  debit  (in  the  Ledger)  must  be  the  first  name  in  the  entry  of  the 
credit.    On  the  same  day  that  you  make  the  debit  entry,  you  should  make  the  credit  entry. 

By  a  trial  balance  (bilancio)  of  the  Ledger  we  mean  a  sheet  of  paper  folded  lengthwise  in  the  middle, 
on  which  we  write  down  all  the  creditors  of  the  Ledger  at  the  right  side  and  the  debtors  at  the  left  side. 
We  see  whether  the  total  of  the  debits  is  equal  to  that  of  the  credits,  and  if  so,  the  Ledger  is  in  order. 

The  trial  balance  of  the  Ledger  should  be  equal — that  is,  the  total  of  the  credits — I  do  not  say  creditors 
— should  be  equal  to  the  total  of  the  debits — I  do  not  say  debtors.  If  they  were  not  equal  there  would  be  a 
mistake  in  the  Ledger. 

The  cash  account  should  always  be  a  debtor  or  equal.  If  it  were  different,  there  would  be  a  mistake 
in  the  ledger. 

You  must  not  and  cannot  make  any  one  debtor  in  your  book  without  permission  or  consent  of  the  per- 
son that  has  to  appear  as  debtor ;  if  you  should,  that  account  would  be  considered  false.  Likewise  you  can- 
not add  terms  or  conditions  to  a  credit  without  permission  and  consent  of  the  creditor.  If  you  should, 
that  statement  would  be  untrue. 

The  values  in  the  Ledger  must  be  reckoned  in  one  kind  of  money.  In  the  explanation  of  the  entries, 
you  may  name  all  sorts  of  money,  either  ducats,  or  lire,  or  Florence,  or  gold  scudi,  or  anything 
else ;  but  in  writing  the  amount  in  the  column,  you  should  always  use  the  same  kind  of  money  through- 
out— that  is,  the  money  that  you  reckon  by  at  the  beginning  should  be  the  same  all  through  the  Ledger. 

The  debit  or  credit  entries  of  the  cash  account  may  be  shortened,  if  you  desire,  by  not  giving  the  rea- 
son for  the  entry ;  you  may  simply  say  from  so  and  so,  for  so  and  so,  because  the  reason  for  the  entry  is 
stated  in  the  opposite  entry. 

If  a  new  account  should  be  opened,  you  must  use  a  new  page  and  must  not  go  back  even  if  there  was 
room  enough  to  place  the  new  account.  You  should  not  write  backward,  but  always  forward — that  is,  go 
forward  as  the  days  go,  which  never  come  back.    If  you  do  other\\ase,  the  book  would  be  untrue. 

If  you  should  make  an  entry  in  the  Ledger  by  mistake  which  should  not  have  been  made,  as  it  happens 
at  times  through  absentmindedness,  and  if  you  wanted  to  correct  it,  you  shall  do  as  follows:  Mark  with 
a  cross  or  with  an  "H"  that  special  entry,  and  then  make  an  entry  on  the  opposite  side  under  the  same 
account.  That  is,  if  the  erroneous  entry  was  on  the  credit  side — say,  for  instance,  for  L  50,  S  10,  D  6 — 
you  make  an  entry  in  the  debit  side,  saying:  Debit  (dee  dare)  L  50,  S  10,  D  6,  for  the  opposite  entry 
cross  marked  which  is  hereby  corrected,  because  it  was  put  in  through  a  mistake  and  should  not  have 
been  made.     Then  mark  with  a  cross  this  new  entry.     This  is  all. 

When  the  spaces  given  to  any  particular  account  are  all  filled  so  that  no  more  entries  can  be  made 
and  you  want  to  carry  forward  that  account,  do  in  this  way :  Figure  out  the  remainder  of  the  said  ac- 
count— that  is,  whether  it  is  debit  or  credit  remainder.  Now  let  us  say  that  there  is  a  credit  remainder 
of  L  20,  S  4,  D  2.  You  should  write  on  the  opposite  side,  without  mentioning  any  date,  as  follows :  Debit 
L  28,  S  4,  D  2,  per  remainder  (per  resto)  of  this  account  carried  forward  in  the  credit  at  page  so  and  so. 
And  it  is  done.  The  said  entry  is  to  be  marked  in  the  margin  so,  namely:  Ro,  which  means  "resto"  (re- 
mainder), but  this  does  not  mean  that  it  is  a  true  debit  entry  although  it  is  on  the  debit  side.  It  is  rather 
the  credit  which  is  transferred  through  the  debit  side.  Now  you  must  turn  the  pages  and  keep  on  turn- 
ing them  until  you  find  a  new  page  where  you  shall  credit  that  account  by  naming  the  account  and  mak- 
ing a  new  entry  without  putting  down  any  day.  And  you  shall  say  in  the  following  manner :  So  and  so 
is  credit  (dec  havere)  L  28,  S  4,  D  2,  per  remainder  (per  resto)  of  account  transferred  from  page  so  and  so, 
and  you  should  mark  this  entry  in  the  margin  by  Ro,  which  means  "resto"  remainder,  and  that  is  done. 

In  the  same  way,  as  I  have  shown  you,  you  shall  proceed  if  the  account  has  a  debit  remainder — that  is, 
what  you  enter  on  the  credit  side  you  should  transfer  to  the  debit  side. 

When  the  ledger  is  all  filled  up,  or  old,  and  you  want  to  transfer  it  into  a  new  one,  you  proceed  in  the 
following  manner :  First  you  must  see  whether  your  old  book  bears  a  mark  on  its  cover — for  instance,  an 
A.  In  this  case  you  must  mark  the  new  Ledger  in  which  you  want  to  transfer  the  old  one  by  B.  because 
the  books  of  the  merchants  go  by  order,  one  after  the  other,  according  to  the  letters  of  the  alphabet.  Then 
3'ou  have  to  take  the  trial  balance  of  the  old  book  and  see  that  it  is  equal.  From  the  trial  balance  sheet 
you  must  copy  in  the  new  Ledger  all  the  creditors  and  debtors  all  in  order  just  as  they  appear  in  the  trial 
balance  sheet,  but  make  a  separate  account  for  each  amount ; 

77 


q-to  ni  arbim  !xrc  a  trauaglurc  co  feco.£  i  ciaTara  gtica  otl  octwoic  l?ai'a  pirc  j>  riti  reds 
adarc  al  lib",  ucd^io  fcanaro.  z3.  vi carx i lultfia |H>rj  od crcdiioxbai a  wrc  g  taiui  rciti 
a  l?3iicrc  al  lib'  rccbio  Tcc^natD.  B.  a  i jr  .i£  col",  t  rtducro  a(  hbju nuouo./Sja  g  caucdlgv' 
il  lib:o  ucd.MO  n  couicnc  a  dafcuo  coto  acccfo  if^v^cnt  r!o  <d  to  btlancio  fop:a  wio ,cicc  fV 
vno  coro  ocl  Iibro  ucc!.mo  fara  crcdiro:c  cl.x  Icuolrai  g  lo  bilanao  faralo  oeUtorc  c  oirai  j.} 
ranri  rcila  l>aucrc  a  qllocoro  pof^pocbbi  l.-»aiu:i  c  .U  lib",  uouo  fcgnato.  36.  a.car.^;  coli  bl 
rat  ifpcro  mno  il  lib,"'.  uccImcc  accefo  di  lib''  iiuouo.i£  coficomo  10  to  moihro  ouuo  crtdiro 
re  coll  I:>ai  afarc  ouiio  ocbitcwc.iSaluo  dx  oouc  a!  crcditoje  li fa  ocbirojc  pofto  ocbbi  be 
uerc  £  tu  l?ai  a  fare  crcdiro;e  pofto ocbbi  oarc  7  c  fatto . 

£afidxagtiencanicrTcrcal  libjo  wmcrcanri. 

Tmti  U  d.cotann  dx  ni  ri  rrouaiTi  c\x  fuflfiuo  ruoi  .j^ai-cwcdx  Ijaucdlguadagnari  ? 
Oiucrfi  rpi  pc!  paiTar  0  0  dx  (i  fuflino  (Ian  laflati  oa  titoi  parcn  inojtio  oonati  oa  qldx  pn 
cipc  farai  crcdtro:c  re  mcdcino.£  ocbitorc  calTa.  Surtc  Ic  c^ioic  c  mcrcantic  dx  i-'ulftno 
tuc  .ppric  dx  fu  baucfll  guadagrsaico  d?  (i  fulVuK)  llarc  lalfatc  j^?  rdbiiicto-o  dx  ti  fufliiio 
ibrc  oonarc.£  qllc  rale  cofe  fi  vogliono  ftimarc  oa  ^  (c  luna  oa  lalt'.qlic  dx  vagliano  a  6. 
cot3nti.£  ranrc  qrc  cofc  die  fono  taritc  j?nrc  fare  al  lib°x  fare  eiafaiiu  ocbirrice  e  one  ^  ta 
fc  ini  rrouo  llimare  q(io  01  um  0.-7C.pci\o  ujcckfimo  crcdito:e  i  qllo  a  car.£  farai  aedi 
co:e  il  ruo  cotoxm  re  medcfuHO  01  ciafciia  j)tuaijr>a  nora  dx  qlle  ijtirc  fintcde  cb  116  fie 
m  inaco  m  oirci  ouc".  (una  ga  dx  le  cofe  miniire  oi  ^kxo  valo.x  non  imictr.)no  al  lib;o.. 

Zurrc  Ic  cofe  Ibbilcdx  01  n  trouaffi  dx  fuifmo  rue  ^pnc  cot  fpno  c.ife  poiTdVioi  bortC' 
gbcbaiafarer'Cbifojeoerracafacftimarc  qllodx  h  uaiea  rua  oiHririoead.e6r4nn.£fii 
ne  credtrox  re  mcdcmo  al  luo  fop2a  oerto  e6ro.£  oipct  tare  oebirojc  la  poiVeilioe  ra  |>rc  c 
liiinaria  coc  c  vino  e  fane  eredtcox  re  medenio  al  ruo  (opjaektro  eoio.  e  coi  iiellc  regoie  to 
oirro  r utte  le  ^rirc  vogliono  bcre  i  !o:o  rrc  cofe.ci'oc  jlj^iorno  e  la  cf\  sxia  peciiia  e  (aeagidc. 

£opredx  ru  faceni  01  mercanrieo  oicbe  cofa  fi  fmfe  p  li  D.eotat  i  ixbbi  fare  cibirore  qlla 
talc  mercanna  oqllo  rale  cofa  ecrcditorc  l3ca(ra.£  le  ru  picciTi.  io  lacopraia  d.  corati  coe  t 
oitro.ODa  vno  banco  glipafio  p  me.o  vcramcre  vno  inio  ainicoglipjgo^  mc.lRifpodoti 
dx  a  ogni  modo  bai  afare  Dtbwore  qlla  rale  njcrcanria  coe  oifopra ,0  oitro.(QE>3  ooue  10  r  i 
riffi faraicrcdiroj  la  cafla  ru  bat  afare crediror  ql  baneo.o  qllo  ruo  meo  c5  j?  re  glia  pijb^ri. 

£6predx  ru  facefTi di  mere isnrie.o  didx  tola  fifia  a  rcrininc  dalcuno  rpo  dcbi  fare  de • 
buore  qlla  rale  mercancia  e  crediiore  colui  da  cui  ru  lai  cdj>ara  j.iqllo  rpo  Xopre  dxm 
ficclTi  di  mercanna.o  didxcol a  ft  fia  a  jjfe  d.e  pre  rpo  defJbi  fare  debitore  qlla  rale  mercar> 
na  £  creditorc  colui  da  cui  ru  lai  cogata  ^  qllo  rpo  c6  qlti  patti  dx  li  l-^abbi  (jauercdtciamo 
a  tevio  di  D.corari  £  lorefto  fra  fci  inefi  .pxiun  futuri:£  doppo  qf^o  fare  unalrra  ^xita.cioe 
dcbuore  colui  da  cm  ru  laicopara  di  qila  q''.di  o.coranridx  mora  qlla  rer^a  pant  dx  fu  di 
p.irro  dicoraini  £  credirore  la  caiTa  0  qllo  l»aiubo  dx  g;lh>agalTe  gte.  'iTurre  U  ucdirc  cl^ 
tu  facclTidi  mcrcanrie  0  dalrre  cofe  l?3i a  fare  ruuo  coine  Jilopra  faiuo  rbaia  merrere  jglo  op 
pofirocioe  dx  douc  difopra  ri  difii  dx  fc  pre  facelTi  dcbirore  lamercanru:£)  uelle  rcdiitlMi 
a  fare  fepre  credirore  la  mercanria  £  dcbisore  cada  fe  c  uedura  a  6.c6ranrio  debit  ore  qlbati 
CO  d.x  te  li  baiicne  ^inelTi £  ;c  e  vcduta  a  rcrnnncbai  a  fare  dcbirore colui acui  ru  Ibai ueda 
ta  p  qllo  rainine  e  fc  fufle  uedura  a  jsrc  D.e  J?re  rpo l.^ai  a  tare  coe  oifop:a  ti  molb-ai  ndle  co 
p:e  qllc  oue  pnrc.  J©e  r  u  vedcirr  M/ia  mercacia  abararro  oiaamo.'^o  bovcdurc  libb;£  mit 
UwlanaDingbiirerraabararrooipaJoc  nocalibreouniilia  01  pcucrc  oomandoconiinc 
fa  a  coitarc  qlla  fairrura  al  lib;  fa.cofi  lihtna  qllo  dx  vale  ilpipe  a  rua  bifaerioe  a  D.coti' 
ti.O?  poniamo  dx  rulo  Iti'mi  ouc.oodici  ilccro  adoq?  Ic  Duinilia  libbx  vagliono  ouc.240 
coran.e  po  farai  crrdrrore  (alana  6  ouc . 2  40.^  q-ro  lai  vendura  £  qlio  modo  obf «a fep7C  i 
Icpnrc  riirre  olibararn  or  qli  fcnc  l>auro  S-ouamilia  oipeuerc  ftmiaro.  z^o.vucis'odova 
to  peiicre  ocbbi rare i qlioa car./f  fane  jxbitojc ilpcuere.     Oanaricorann  dx  tu i^jlalTi 

0  qlcbcwo  amuo  Ijaia  fare  wbuox  lamico  ad?i  ru  glilwiplbri  e  aedirozecjiTa.  ^(  fU 
hceueiTt  Dcotann  f  n  pliian«;a  oa  qldx  amico  bai  afare  ocbirox  cafla  e  credirox  lamico, 

$><  tu  l.^auelVi  pfo  orto.o  otfci.o  rcn  oiic'.^afficurare  nauc  0  galee  0  altra  cofa  oebbi  fa/ 
It  crcdircx  ficurra  01  nauili)  c  cbianre  dx  c  coc  c  qrdo  e  ooue  e  qpto  p  ccto  .£  dcbitoK  (oto 

01  caffa.  (QDcrcaniu  dx  n  fuftino  nundarc  ife  altri  co  comiftione  oiucderle  0  barartaric 
Olcquflli  ru  baucffil;3ucr  la  rua  .puifiof  .iMcodx  tu  oebbt  fare  oebiroxalUt»o  qlla  rale  hkt 
eantia  atrcncre  al  rale  oitalc  p  lo  po?to.o  ^  gabclla .  0  p  nolo  0  j?  merrere  i  magay  no  £  crc' 
dirojc  coro  01  aUa.  Zutte  le  fpcfc  01  mercantic  01  ^.cotanricbe  tu  farai.o  p  nolo.o  g  ga 
bdlc.orerturco  rcnferieopo^rarure  fa  credirore  la  caffa./eocbi'rozcquella  talc  mercantta 

perlaqlcrugUbaiifpc* 


78 


and  leave  to  each  account  all  the  space  that  you  thiuk  you  may  need.  And  in  each  debit  account  you  shall 
say :  Per  so  much  as  per  debit  remainder  {rcsta  a  dare)  in  the  old  book  marked  A,  at  page  so  and  so.  And 
in  each  credit  account  you  shall  say:  Per  so  much  as  per  credit  remainder  {rcsta  a  havcre)  in  the  old  book 
marked  A,  at  page  so  and  so.  In  this  way  you  transfer  the  old  Ledger  into  the  new  one.  Now,  in  order  to 
cancel  the  old  book,  you  must  cancel  each  account  by  making  it  balance,  of  which  we  have  spoken — that  is, 
if  an  accoiuit  of  the  old  Ledger  shows  a  credit  remainder  as  the  trial  balance  would  show  you,  you  shall 
debit  this  account  for  the  same  amount,  saying,  so  much  remains  in  the  credit  of  this  account,  carried  for- 
ward in  the  credit  in  the  new  Ledger  marked  B,  at  page  so  and  so.  In  this  way  you  shall  have  closed  the 
old  Ledger  aud  opened  the  new  one  for,  as  I  have  shown  you  how  to  do  for  a  creditor,  the  same  you  shall 
do  for  a  debtor,  with  this  difference,  that  while  you  debit  an  account,  which  may  sliow  a  credit  remain- 
der, you  shall  credit  the  account  which  may  show  a  debit  remainder.     This  is  all. 

THINGS  WHICH  SHOULD  BE  ENTERED  IN  THE  BOOKS  OF  THE  MERCHANTS. 

Of  aU  the  cash  that  you  might  have,  if  it  is  your  own— that  is,  that  you  might  have  earned  at  differ- 
ent times  in  the  past,  or  which  might  have  been  bequeathed  to  you  by  your  dead  relatives  or  given  you 
as  a  gift  from  some  Prince,  you  shall  make  yourself  creditor  {crcditoi'c  tc  mcdcsima),  aud  make  cash  deb- 
itor. As  to  all  jewelry  or  goods  which  might  be  your  own — that  is,  that  you  may  have  got  through  busi- 
ness or  that  might  have  been  left  you  through  a  will  or  given  to  you  as  a  present,  you  must  value  them  in 
cash  aud  make  as  many  accounts  as  there  are  things  aud  make  each  debitor  by  saying :  For  so  many,  etc., 
of  which  I  find  myself  possessed  on  this  day,  so  many  denari,  posted  credit  entry  at  such  and  such  page ; 
and  then  you  make  creditor  your  account  {tuo  conto),  that  is  yourself  {mcdesimo) ,  with  the  amount  of  each 
of  these  entries.  But  remember  these  entries  should  not  be  for  less  than  ten  ducats  each,  as  small  things  of 
little  value  are  not  entered  in  the  Ledger. 

Of  all  the  real  property  that  you  might  own,  as  liouses,  lands,  stores,  you  make  the  cash  debitor  and 
estimate  their  value  at  your  discretion  in  cash,  and  you  make  creditor  yourself  or  your  personal  account 
{tuo  sopradette  conto).  Then  you  make  debitor  an  account  of  that  special  property  by  giving  the  value, 
as  I  have  said  above,  and  make  yourself  creditor  because,  as  I  have  told  you,  all  enti-ies  must  have  three 
things :    The  date,  the  value  in  cash,  and  the  reason. 

If  you  should  buy  merchandise  or  anything  else  for  cash,  you  should  make  a  debtor  of  that  special 
merchandise  or  thiiig  aud  like  creditor  cash,  and  if  you  should  say,  I  bought  that  merchandise  for  cash, 
but  a  bank  will  furnish  the  cash,  or  a  friend  of  mine  will  do  so,  I  will  answer  you  that  any  way,  you  must 
make  a  debitor  of  that  special  merchandise ;  but  where  I  told  you  to  credit  cash,  you  should,  instead,  credit 
that  special  bank,  or  that  special  friend  who  furnished  the  money. 

If  you  should  buy  merchandise  or  anything  else,  partly  for  cash  and  partly  on  time,  you  shall  make 
that  special  merchandise  debitor,  and  make  a  creditor  of  the  party  from  whom  you  bought  it  on  time  and 
under  the  conditions  that  you  might  have  agreed  upon ;  as,  for  instance,  one-third  in  cash  and  the  rest  in 
six  months.  After  this  you  will  have  to  make  another  entry — that  is,  make  a  debitor  of  the  party  from 
whom  you  bought  it  for  the  amount  of  the  cash  that  you  have  given  him  for  that  one-third,  aud  make  cred- 
itor cash  or  the  bank  which  might  have  paid  that  much  for  you. 

If  you  should  sell  any  merchandise  or  anything  else,  you  should  proceed  as  above  with  the  exception 
that  you  should  proceed  in  the  opposite  way — that  is,  where  I  told  you  that  when  you  bought  you  should 
make  the  merelumdise  debitor,  when  you  sell  you  will  have  to  make  your  merchandise  a  creditor  and  charge 
the  cash  account  if  it  is  sold  for  cash,  or  charge  the  bank  that  might  have  promised  the  payment.  And  if 
you  make  a  sale  on  time,  you  will  have  to  charge  the  party  to  whom  you  sold  it  on  time,  and  if  you  make 
the  sale  partly  for  cash  and  partly  on  time,  you  shall  proceed  as  I  have  shown  you  in  explaining  about  the 
buying. 

If  you  should  give  merchandise  in  exchange,  for  instance,  let  us  say  I  have  sold  1,000  pounds  of  Eng- 
lish wool  in  exchange  for  pepper — that  is,  for  2,000  pounds  of  pepper — I  ask,  how  shall  we  make  this  entry 
in  the  Ledger  ?  You  shaU  do  as  follows :  Estimate  what  the  value  of  the  pepper  is,  at  your  discretion,  in 
cash.  Now  let  us  say  that  you  estimated  12  ducats  per  hundred;  the  2,000  pounds  would  be  worth  210 
ducats.  Therefore,  you  shall  make  the  wool  a  creditor  with  240  ducats,  for  which  amount  you  have  sold 
it.  This  is  the  manner  that  you  should  follow  in  all  the  trade  entries.  If  you  have  received  2,000  pounds 
of  pepper  valued  at  240  ducats,  you  shall  make  the  pepper  a  debitor  and  say :  Said  pepper  debtor  on  this 
day,  see  page,  etc.,  etc. 

If  you  should  loan  cash  to  some  of  your  friends,  you  shall  charge  the  friend  to  whom  you  have  given 
it  and  credit  cash.  If  you  should  borrow  cash  from  some  friend,  you  will  have  to  debit  cash  and  credit 
your  friend. 

If  you  have  received  8  or  10  or  20  ducats  in  order  to  insure  a  ship  or  a  galley,  or  anything  else,  you 
should  credit  the  account  "ship  insurance,"  and  explain  all  about  it— how,  when  and  where,  and  how  much 
per  cent. ;  and  shall  charge  the  cash  account. 

If  anybody  should  send  you  any  goods  with  instructions  to  sell  them  or  exchange  them  on  commis- 
sion, I  say  that  you  have  to  charge  in  the  Ledger  that  special  merchandise  belonging  to  so  and  so  with  the 
freight,  or  duty,  or  for  storage,  and  credit  the  cash  account.  You  shall  credit  the  cash  for  all  cash  that 
you  have  to  pay  on  account  of  goods :  for  instance,  cash  paid  for  transportation  or  duty,  or  brokerage,  etc., 
and  charge  the  account  of  that  speciaV  goods  for  that  which  you  have  paid  in  money. 


79 


©iftincHotiona.Xrartatoe.xi'-BErcripturia 

£3(1  cfjf  mdc  mcttcrc  alcrcfOzdancc  ml  mcram. 
1  Uttc  Ictnaflmnc  oi  cafa  o  oi bortcc^a  cbeni  ti  truouu  ODa  voglwno  eltcre  per 
o?dmc.doc  tntte  Ic  cok  w  fcrro  oa  pcrfe  con  fpano  oa  potcrc  agiongncre  fe  bt 
ro(inanc.£coriOTrc5narciiimargincqu<li€cbefulTiiio  pcrdutre  ovcndutco 
.  ooiiarc  0  gu3ft<:.^f^a  non  fi  intcndc  maflcnric  rmmirc  ofpoco  valox.  £  farert 

co?do  01  fif trc  fe  cofe  Dorconc  oa  pcrfc  conimc  e  ottro.  £  umilc  wtrc  le  cofc  oiftagno .  £  fi 
macnitfc  Iccofe  ortciigno.£  cofi  tuttc  le  cofe  Diranie.£  cofi  rutKle  cole  oariento  c  oom  7c. 
Scmp.'e  con  Oxjtio  oi  qualdx  carra  oa  potcrc  arrogcrc  fe  bifosnafle.c  cofi  oadarc  nonrii 
IH'  qudio  cl?cmanca(!c.  ^uttc  lemallcucric  o  obb:igbi  o  pjomcflc  dxpiomcuxm  per  qb 
cbc aniico.  c cbfarirc  bene  dyt  e cofitinc.  Ximc  Icmcrcannc o  altre cofedTC  n  folTeno kV 
fare  i  quardia  o  a  fcrbo  oi  pHa^a  oa  qlcf>camico.ccofi  tuttclccofecb  wpftadi'aahrtriwi 
flmici  tmti  Umcrati  condmonarf doc  copjc  ovcdirecomc  ^ ereplovno  corrato cioceB 
w  mi  mandicon  (cpzofTIine  qalcc  dx  to?neranno  oingbtirerra  tarm  cantara  oi  lane  WUmf 
rtri  a  f  afo  cbe  (e  fieno  buoiic*e  rcdpienti.^o  ti  naro  tanto  od  canraro  o  oel  cento  o  veramc' 
teri mandaro  arincontroranrieanfara wcotroni.  Cutte  (c cafe  opofTelTicmio boncgbe 
0  giofe  dx  tu  aflfir  alTi  a  tanti  ouc.o  a  tante  lire  (aiino.£  quando  m  nfcoterai  afitto  al  wa  ql 
Ifoin  ari  faiino  a  mettereal  lib20  commc  oifop?a  ri  o(lTt.l5):eftando  quald?c  gioia  o  uafcUa- 
iTienri  oariento  o  00:0  a  qua!d?e  tuo  aniico  per  otto  0  quidici  gio2iu  oiquefte  tale  coft  no 
fi mcttono  al  (I'bjo.ma  fenc  fa  rico2do  alericozdance.pcrdx  fra  pocbi  giojni  laibariauere. 
£  cofi  per  contrafe  ate  folTiprefhito  fiimli  cofe  non  Uocbbi  mcttcre  al  libro.iae>afarnc  me 
mo2ia  akrkoTdaa^c  perclx  pjefto  lai  a  rcndcrc. 

£omme  li  fcriuono  lire  e  (ddi  e  oanarie  picfolie  altre  abreuiature. 
lire  foldi  oanarf  pidoli  libbx  once  oanarpefi  grani  carat<  oucati  fiozinlargbt. 
S      f       5        p    libbre    (5        tp    5*.       R       ouc.    fioJaf 


Cont^ocbbeoettarele^trteoe  ocbitOTi. 

flfbcccc?  Irrrruj*. 
Jtodouico  oipieroforeftai 
oeoarc  aoiriu'i.nouenibre. 
1 49?.S:.44.f.|  r  6.8.porto 
contari  in  pfta«,a.pofto  caf 
raauere.acar.  2  ^    44  fids» 

£  a  oi.i  g.oefto  J.t  g-P.i  ;.tf. 
i.promcttenio  p  luia  marti 
no  oipicro  forabofd>j'  afuo 
piaccfpoftobatiqfto.ac.2.S  18  P1186. 

Cafia  i  mano  oi  fimone  03 
leflb  bobeni  oe  oaf  aoi.  1 4. 
noucbrei49J-5^'62.f.»;. 
6.1  .xa  franccfco  oantonio 
aualcanninqlloac.2    %    62  ^i?  &6» 


fl^artinoof  picro  fora  bo 
fcbi  oedare  a  di.zo.nouem 
bre.j  49).$A  8^.11 .6.64)or 
to  luimcdefimo  contaripo' 
ftocaflaacan  2«  $    18^1166. 


^rancefeo  danionio  canal 
can'  oe  dare  a  oi.i  2  .oi  nou£ 

bre.r49;.S;'2o.M-^-2ci.P 
mifT?  anoliro  ptaccf  y  lodo 
Hico oi picrofordlli ac.i.S    20^482, 


£omc  I!  debbe  oittare  legtite  oicreditori . 

X.<?douicoOH)iero  fozellai 
oc  Iwuerc  a  01.2  z.noucbrc 

1 49^§r.2o.f.4.$.2.f6nog 

parte  oipagamento.f  per 
(m'cdia  promifli  a  noftro 
piaccrc  fracefd?o  oatcnio. 
c3U9lcaiipoftooarcac.2.S    20  ^4^2. 

£alTa  in  mano  oi  fimonc 

oalelTobobcnioebauere  a 

di.i  4-"oocbre.i  49?.S.44. 

f  .1  .^.g.fllo  douico  dipicro 

foreflani in  qdo.  a  car.  2.%    44  ^  1  5  8> 

£adi.22.nouembre.»495 

%,]  8.^.11  .^.6.3  marrino  di 

ptero  forQbofcbi.a  ca.  2»  i    1 8  P 1 1  S  *. 

fl^tino  di  piero  fora  bo 

fdM'di  l?anereadi.i  8>noue 

bre.«  49? .  S  .<  8.P'  II  .t.6^U 

^mettemo  a  fuo  piacerc  p 

[odouico  oi  piero  foreftani 

polio  dbbi  bcrc  iqlto  ac^.B    1 8  f  • « 0 6 

jprancefcbo  datonio  caual 
cantide  Ijaucrea  di.1 4-no/ 
ucbre.i49?'S^-62.^.i?.$.6. 
reco  lui  incdcfimo  ptati  po 
ftocafrad3rca.car.2.      %    $^$i^^6. 


80 


THINGS  THAT  SHOULD  BE  RECORDED  IN  A  RECORD  BOOK  (RECORDANZE)  OP  THE 
MERCHANT. 

All  the  house  and  store  goods  that  you  may  find  yourself  possessed  of — these  should  be  put  do^vn  in 
order — that  is,  all  the  things  made  of  iron  by  itself,  leaving  space  enough  to  make  additions  if  necessary ; 
also  leaving  room  to  mark  in  the  margin  the  things  that  might  be  lost  or  sold  or  given  as  presents  or 
spoiled.    But  I  don't  mean  small  things  of  little  value. 

Make  a  record  of  all  the  brass  things  separately,  as  I  have  said,  and  then  a  record  of  the  tin  things, 
and  then  the  wooden  things,  and  copper  things,  and  then  the  silver  things  and  gold  things,  always  leaving 
enough  space  between  each  class  so  that  you  may  add  something  if  necessary,  and  to  put  down  a  memo- 
randum of  any  object  that  might  be  missing. 

All  sureties  or  obligations  or  promises  of  payment  that  you  might  make  for  some  friend,  explaining 
clearly  everything. 

All  goods  or  other  things  that  might  be  left  with  you  in  custody,  or  that  you  might  borrow  from  some 
friend,  as  well  as  all  the  things  that  other  friends  of  yours  might  borrow  from  you. 

All  conditional  transactions — that  is,  purchases  and  sales,  as,  for  instance,  a  contract  that  you  shall 
send  me  by  the  next  ship  coming  from  England,  so  many  cantara  of  woll  di  li  lyiistri,  on  condition  that 
it  is  good;  and  when  I  receive  it  I  will  pay  you  so  much  per  cantara  or  by  the  hundred,  or  otherwise;  I 
will  send  you  in  exchange  so  many  cantara  of  cotton. 

All  houses,  lands,  stores  or  jewels  that  you  might  rent  at  so  many  ducats  and  so  many  lire  per  year. 
And  when  you  collect  the  rent,  then  that  money  should  be  entered  in  the  Ledger,  as  I  have  told  you. 

If  you  should  lend  some  jewels,  silver  or  gold  vase  to  some  friend,  say,  for  instance,  for  eight  or  fifteen 
days,  things  like  this  should  not  be  entered  in  the  Ledger,  but  should  be  recorded  in  this  record  book,  because 
in  a  few  days,  you  wiU  get  them  back.  In  the  same  way,  if  somebody  should  lend  you  something  like  the 
things  mentioned,  you  should  not  make  any  entry  in  the  Ledger,  but  put  down  a  little  memorandum  in 
the  record  book,  because  in  a  short  time  you  will  have  to  give  it  back. 

How  Lire,  Soldi,  Denari  and  Picioli,  etc.,  should  be  written  down  as  abbreviations. 

Lire;  Soldi;  Denari;  Picioli;  Libbre;  Once;  Danarpesi;  Grani;  Carati;  Ducati;  Florin  larghi. 

(See  other  side  for  their  abbreviations.) 


HOW  THE  DEBIT  (LEDGER)  ENTRIES 
ARE  MADE. 

MCCCCLXXXXIII.  Lodovico,  son 
of  Piero  Forestani,  shall  give  on 
the  14th  day  of  November,  1493, 
L  44,  S  1,  D  8,  for  cash  loaned, 
posted  cash  shall  have  at  page  2 : 


L  44,  S    1,  D  : 


And  on  the  18th  ditto,  L 18, 
S  11,  D  6,  which  we  promised  to 
pay  for  him  to  Martino,  son  of 
Piero  Foraboschi  at  his  pleasure, 
posted  said  shall  have  at  page  2 : 

L18,  Sll,  D6 

Cash  in  hands  of  Simone,  son 
of  Alessio  Bombeni,  shall  give  on 
Nov.  14,  1493,  for  L  62,  S  13,  D 
2,  for  Francesco,  son  of  Antonio 
Cavalcanti,  page  2 :  L  62,  S  13,  D  6 


Martino,  son  of  Piero  Forabos- 
chi, shall  give  on  Nov.  20,  1493, 
for  L  18,  S  11,  D  6,  taken  by  him 
in  cash,  posted  Cash  at  page  2 : 

L  18,  S  11,  D  6 


Francesco,  son  of  Antonio  Ca- 
valcanti, shall  give,  on  Nov.  12, 
1493,  L20,  S4,  D  2,  which  he 
promised  to  pay  to  us  at  our 
pleasure  for  Lodovico,  son  of  Pie- 
tro  Forestani ;  page  2 :  L  20,  S    4,  D  2 


HOW  THE  CREDIT  (LEDGER)  ENTRIES 
ARE  MADE. 

MCCCCLXXXXIII.  Lodovico,  son 
of  Piero  Forestani,  shall  have, 
on  Nov.  22,  1493,  for  L  20,  S  4,  D 
2,  for  part  payment.  And  for  him 
Francesco,  son  of  Antonio  Caval- 
canti, promised  to  pay  it  to  us  at 
our  pleasure ;  posted  shall  give  at 
page  2 :  L  20,  S   4,  D  2 


Cash  in  hands  of  Simone,  son 
of  Alessio  Bombeni,  shall  have, 
on  Nov.  14,  1493,  for  L  44,  S  1,  D 
8,  from  Lodovico  Pietro  Fores- 
tani, L  44,  S  1,  D  8 ;  and  on  Nov. 
22,  1493,  L  18,  S  11,  D  6,  to  Mar- 
tino, son  of  Piero  Forbaschi, 
page  2 :  L  18,  S  11,  D  6 

Martino,  son  of  Piero  Forabos- 
chi, shall  have  on  Nov.  18,  1493, 
for  L18,  Sll,  D6,  which  we 
promised  to  pay  him  at  his  pleas- 
ure for  Lodovico,  son  of  Pietro 
Forestani ;  posted  shall  give  en- 


try at  p.  8 : 

Francesco,  son  of  Antonio  Ca- 
valcanti, shall  have  on  Nov.  14, 
1493,  for  L  62,  S  13,  D  6,  which 
he  brought  himself  in  cash ; 
posted  cash  shall  give  at  page  2 : 


L18,  Sll,  D6 


L  62,  S  13,  D  6 


81 


8;40  AiiulmoVihm04 

«  94  ^  Pro  Cr  hmo  //  A  doniudrii  ,  per  d^nnofeguido ,   p.'faldarlaparh-da  dcIi  dom.ponetW 

j;;f-|-       tr4»oin  k/Io, per /a/do  djqwf  Ho  yf  I  uaI^  c  ^  o   (» 

^ ^ . C 7 

^  9  ^         1?  Pro  CT  d^nno  //  A  Spefe  de  wuer  di  cafd  ,  perpm   Diftidariefpcfedi  vcflir  in  ditto  pr» 
"^X^      /J?e/c/dttc,come  i/ic//edpp4r,per/i/iodiq«cfle,9f 

£ -, ^1 ^ 

296         1?  Fiff f  cfey^  jpojj&pion  dd  M oidn  //  A  Pro  CT  ^^nno  g'/^JJ^^' ^'  ^" **«"* pofTcsfion.fn  pro 
•^~  ,     ptrfitio  di  qu(Ud  ptr  Vanno  pnfentefinird  dc  LMto 

i54i,pcr/tf/dodeqMefli9f  45  ^    M4I  ^  4^      «o^ f^ 

^: — -,__, d 7 

a  97        'V  Pro  cr  idnno  //  A  Spcfe  diutrfc  per  piu  fpefefdtte  £*J"^'''"  '*=  'P^^^  <J^"«'^fc .  in  ditto  pro 
^"^y       iWio pre/(rnte,come  tn e/Je <tppdr,  ptrfdldo  fuodf 

599^  izf^ M4l^  ^^  ^      ,95 <p- 

'^^ 7 ^ 7 

3  08         1?  Pro  CTfJtfflrtO// A  Spe/ede  fitluriddnn  monte.ptr    Difafdarlefpcfcdcfaliriadi.m-ditto 
^jL  a.  ^       •    n    r   r         i->  r  •      (T        -  pro&danro, 

-^-*        plu^<:|ef<Jtte  I  ctnno  pre/en fe,  comcinejje dppdf  ^ 

perfdldodtqusUcdf^S'^  iif^ Udf^  4>       17  ^  ft- 


4  o 


-^ 7 ^^ / 


399        ^  Pro  dc  zfcchd  in  monte  //  A  Pro  c  ddtmo ,  per  uii  ^^Jq^\"^"J'^°  ^^ '^^'^'^^^' '"  ^^ ''^"^ 
^J^      IU(jpgui(Jd,comein  ^ucQo4pp4r,per/4lio /mo,  9f 

-^  ,^0^   f u^l^  «5JP 9  f^ 

?.  J/         ,/  .    _       J  ,  J  «  1    r  -rr   n       (V^  ^'  faldarpoi  il  pro  &danno  nel-tue 

pro  et/dnno  //  A  C^UCdu/  de  mi  A  fMt/e  VdUdrdfO^  cauedal.per  vltima  conchi/ione, 

■^|-      per  uufiU Tcgwdi  de  fdmo  i  540  ,  trdtio  iri/ejlo. 


Tine  dil<prefente  GiorndU,Unuto  per  mi  Aluife  Vs 

ldreffo,perconto  d'^ogni  trafjlco^^  negolio  i  me  oc 

corfo.dd  di  primo  Mdrzo  i  S'^ofn  ddi  ultimo  Fe^ 

braro delditto  miUepmo,  ntlqudlordwdtdinemedc 

giorno  in  giorno  ,  ho  fcriito  di  mid  ntdno^nr 

in  ejjb  piu  int<ndo  fcriuere  ,  per  hduer 

dueUo  conclufo  cf  fdlddto  in 

I X  pdrtide ,  lequdl  ho 

—S-^portdk  ml  li" 

bronouofs 

gn&to 

A 

B2 


MANZONI'S  JOURNAL  REPRODUCED 

On  the  opposite  page  is  given  an  enlarged  reproduction  of  the  last  page  of  Domenico  Manzoni's  jour- 
nal. As  stated  before,  the  writer  has  not  an  original  copy  of  Manzoni's  book  at  iiand,  therefore  only  this 
page  can  be  given  which  was  enlarged  from  a  reproduction  appearing  on  page  121  of  Brown's  History  of 
Accounting. 

As  we  have  seen  in  the  historical  chapter,  Manzoni  wrote  forty  years  after  Pacioli,  but  he  was  the  first 
author  to  give  illustrations  of  the  journal  and  ledger,  although  in  the  text  he  practically  copied  Pacioli 
verbatim.  Therefore,  in  Manzoni's  book  we  have  the  first  expressions  in  examples  and  illustrations  of  the 
writings  of  Pacioli. 

The  page  here  reproduced  is  the  last  page  of  the  journal  and  contains  the  journal  entries  covering 
the  closing  of  the  profit  and  loss  account  {Pro  et  danno.) 

We  will  note  that  the  date  is  in  the  middle  at  the  top  of  the  page ;  that  the  name  of  the  debtor  ac- 
count is  separated  from  the  name  of  the  creditor  account  by  two  slanting  lines,  thus:  //;  that  each  entry 
is  separated  by  a  line  in  the  explanation  column  only  (not  in  the  money  column)  ;  that  immediately  to 
the  left  of  each  entry  we  fiind  two  figures,  separated  by  a  short  horizontal  line  or  dash ;  these  are  the  pages 
of  the  ledger  to  which  the  debit  and  credit  are  posted,  the  top  figure  representing  the  debit  and  the  lower 
one  the  credit.  Immediately  before  these  two  figures,  we  find  two  slanting  lines  or  dashes ;  they  are  the 
checking  marks.  We  will  see  that  Pietra  uses  a  dot  in  this  place  and  that  Pacioli  prefers  a  dot  but  men- 
tions a  check  mark  or  any  other  mark.  They  are  not  the  two  slanting  lines  which  are  drawn  through  an 
entry  when  it  has  been  posted.  These  two  we  find  represented  in  the  two  little  diagonal  dashes  at  the  be- 
ginning and  end,  as  well  as  on  the  under  and  upper  side,  of  the  lines  separating  the  journal  entries.  The 
writer  believes  from  the  descriptions  he  has  read  and  iUustratious  he  has  seen,  that  these  dashes  are  the 
beginning  and  end  of  the  much  described  "diagonal  lines"  and  illustrates  his  idea  by  the  two  lines  he 
added  to  the  reproduction  in  the  last  journal  entry.  The  omission  of  these  lines  like  that  of  the  standing 
lines  in  the  money  column,  is  probably  due  to  lack  of  printing  facilities.  You  will  recall  that  Pacioli  men- 
tions these  lines  to  be  made  at  the  beginning  of  the  entry  and  at  the  end  of  the  entry,  just  before  the  lire 
sign. 

The  numbers  from  294  to  300  in  the  left-hand  margin,  are  the  consecutive  numbers  of  the  journal  en- 
tries, which  Manzoni  alone  and  no  other  writer  herein  referred  to  mentions. 

On  the  right  we  find  the  four  signs  of  the  various  denominations,  lire,  soldi,  denari,  and  picioli.  A 
dash  is  provided  wherever  a  cypher  should  appear  in  the  money  column. 

The  two  lines  of  printing  above  the  money  in  the  money  columns  are  merely  directions  which  Manzoni 
as  textwriter  gave  to  his  reader.  They  are  not  a  part  of  the  journal  entry.  You  will  note  that  he  prints 
them  in  different  type.  The  difference  in  coin  between  the  uniform  one  used  in  bookkeeping  and  the  one 
used  locally  is  also  apparent,  as  the  local  coin  is  given  as  a  part  of  the  explanation  to  the  journal  entry. 
The  "p"  to  the  left  of  the  journal  entry  and  to  the  right  of  the  figures  in  the  margin  stands  for  "per" 
(our  by),  and  immedately  after  the  slanting  dashes  "//"  in  front  of  the  name  of  the  credit  account  is 
used  "A"  (our  to). 

Elsewhere  we  have  stated  that  except  as  to  numbering  the  journal  entries  Manzoni  mentioned  noth- 
ing that  Pacioli  did  not  describe.  While  he  copies  whole  chapters  word  for  word,  in  some  of  them,  how- 
ever, he  was  clearer,  more  brief  and  more  systematic  than  Pacioli.  We  give  one  of  the  chapters  as  an  ex- 
ample. 


83 


ABSTRACT  FROM  DOMENICO  MANZONTS  BOOK 


CAP.  XIII. 

Regole  breuissime  del  giornal  &  quaderno. 

Nota  ehe  la  Regola  del  Giornale  &  Quaderno,  in  se  coutiene  sei  cose,  cio  e. 

Dare,  Havere,  Qualita,  Quantita,  Tempo  &  Ordine. 

Dare,  significa  douer  dare,  cio  e  il  debitore,  o  uno  o  piu  ehe  siano. 

Havere,  uvol  dir  douer  havere,  cio  e  il  creditore,  o  iino  o  piu  ehe  siano. 

Qualita  sono  quelle  cose  die  tu  maneggi,  &  siano  di  ehe  sorte  si  vogliono. 

Quantita,  e  il  uumero,  peso  over  misure,  o  piceioli,  o  grandi  ehe  si  siano. 

Tempo,  si  e  il  giorno,  ilmese  &  lanno,  sotto  il  quale  tu  fai  la  partida. 

Ordine,  e  quello,  ehe  nella  preseute  opera  con  facilita  insegnamo. 

Le  due  prime,  sono  affermative,  e  principali  in  ogi  eosa. 

La  cosa  debitrice,  sempre  va  posta  avanti  a  la  creditrice. 

Davauti  a  la  cosa  debitrice,  vi  si  pone  uno  per  a  questo  modo  P. 

Davanti  a  la  cosa  creditrice,  vi  si  pone  uno  A  cosi  A. 

II  P,  in  tal  luogo  significa  la  cosa  debitrice. 

E  lo  A  in  tal  luogo  significa  la  cosa  creditrice. 

II  giornale,  si  divide  il  debitore  dal  creditore,  con  due  liniette  a  questo  modo 

lequali  dinotano,  ehe  de  una  partida  dalgiornale,  sempre  se  ne  eonvien 
far  due  nel  quaderno. 

II  giorno,  si  nota  nel  giornal  di  sopra  da  la  partida. 

Et  nel  quaderno,  si  nota,  dentro  dalla  partida. 

II  numero  de  le  carte  del  quaderno,  nel  giornale,  si  mette  avanti  la  partida. 

Et  nel  quaderno,  il  medesimo  si  mette  dopo  la  partida. 

Li  nomi  de  le  partide  vive  in  I'alfabeto,  vi  si  poneno  a  man  destra. 

Et  queUi  de  le  cose  morte,  si  notano  a  man  sinistra. 

Per  le  cose  vive,  qui  s  intende  ogni  ereaturi  animata. 

E  per  le  morte,  s  intende  robbe,  over  ogni  altra  cosa. 


TRANSLATION  OP  THE  ABOVE  ABSTRACT  PROM  DOMENICO  MANZONI'S  BOOK. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Very  Short  Rules  for  the  Journal  and  the  Ledger. 
(In  verse  form.) 

You  should  note  that  the  rules  for  the  Journal  and  the  Ledger  contain  six  things,  namely  i 
Give,  Have,  Quality,  Quantity,  Time  and  Order. 

Give  (Debit),  means  as  much  as  "shall  give",  that  is,  the  debtor  be  it  one  or  more. 
Have  (Credit),  means  as  much  as  "shall  have",  this  is,  the  creditor  be  it  one  or  more. 
Quality,  by  this  we  understand  the  things  you  handle  of  whichever  nature  they  may  be. 
Quantity,  by  this  we  understand  the  number,  the  weight  or  the  measure,  be  it  big  or  little. 
Time,  means  the  day,  the  month  and  the  year  in  which  the  transaction  is  made. 
Order,  means  that  which  we  can  easily  learn  from  the  present  book. 
The  first  two  are  most  important  and  refer  particularly  to  aU  things. 
The  things  made  debtor  should  be  placed  before  the  creditor. 

84 


In  front  of  that  which  is  made  debtor  is  placed  "Per",  iu  this  way  "P". 

Before  the  creditor  we  place  an  "A"  iu  this  way  "A". 

The  "  P  "  signifies  that  in  this  spot  the  things  were  made  debtor. 

And  the  "A"  signifies  that  in  this  spot  the  things  were  made  creditor. 

In  the  Journal  one  must  divide  the  debtor  from  the  creditor  by  means  of  two  small  lines  in  this  way  //, 
which  denotes  that  from  one  entry  in  the  Journal  two  entries  should  be  made  in  the  Ledger. 

In  the  Journal,  The  day  should  be  given  above  the  entries. 

In  the  Ledger,  The  same  is  carried  into  the  body  of  the  entry. 

In  the  Journal,  the  number  of  the  Ledger  pages  is  placed  in  front  of  the  entry. 

And  in  the  Ledger  we  place  the  same  after  the  entry. 

The  name  of  the  living  account  is  written  in  the  Index  to  the  right. 

And  those  of  the  dead  things  are  written  to  the  left. 

With  "living  things"  is  understood  every  creature  with  a  soul  (ogni  creatura  animata). 

And  with  "dead  things"  is  understood  merchandise  and  everything  else. 

In  Chapter  eleven  Manzoni  also  gives  eight  rules  for  journalizing.  The  four  principal  things  pertain- 
ing to  buying,  selling,  receiving,  paying,  exchanging,  loaning  and  gifts  are 

1.  The  one  who  gives. 

2.  The  one  who  receives. 

3.  The  thing  which  is  given. 
•4.  The  thing  which  is  received. 

It  should  be  noted  that  here  are  four  conditions  to  each  transaction.  While  Manzoni  does  not  explain 
their  use,  as  we  will  see  later  on,  Stevin  gives  us  the  proper  interpretation  for  this,  somewhat  as  follows : 

One  transaction  will  always  need  a  double-entry.     If  Peter  pays  £100  we  must  consider 

1.  The  one  who  gives,  i.  e.,  Peter. 

2.  The  one  who  receives,  i.  e.,  proprietor. 

3.  The  thing  which  is  given,  i.  e.,  cash  by  Peter. 

4.  The  thing  which  is  received,  i.  e.,  cash  from  the  proprietor. 

Hence  proprietor  debit  to  Peter  and  cash  debit  to  proprietor,  which  combined  by  eliminating  the 
quantities  of  similar  name  and  value,  or  by  cancelling  (as  in  algebra  a=b;  b=e;  hence  a=c)  makes  cash 
debit  to  Peter. 

Manzoni  then  follows  with  these  eight  rules : 

1.  Debit  merchandise  for  purchase. 

2.  Credit  merchandise  for  sales. 

3.  Debit  cash  for  cash  sales. 

4.  Credit  cash  for  cash  purchase. 

5.  Debit  buyer  for  sales  on  credit. 

6.  Credit  seller  for  purchase  on  credit. 

7.  Debit  persons  who  promise  to  pay. 

8.  Credit  persons  to  whom  we  promise  to  pay. 

In  order  to  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  scope  of  Manzoni 's  work,  we  give  here  a  translation  of 
the  Index  to  his  book. 

PART  I.    JOURNAL. 
Chapter 

1.  Those  things  which  the  merchant  needs  and  the  system  of  keeping  a  Ledger  and  its  Journal. 

2.  The  inventory,  what  it  is  and  how  merchants  make  it  up. 

3.  Form  and  example  of  inventory. 

4.  Last  urging  and  good  instruction  for  the  merchant  in  connection  with  the  inventory. 

5.  A  certain  book,  which  majority  of  people  use  and  which  is  called  Memorial,  Strazze  or  Vachetta ; 

what  it  is ;  how  we  must  write  it  up  and  for  whom. 

6.  Some  special  little  books,  which  it  is  customary  to  use ;  what  they  are  and  how  they  are  written  up. 

(Separate  day  books  for  petty  expenses,  household   expenses,    salaries,    repairs,    rents,    separate 
classes  of  merchandise.) 

7.  The  manner  in  which  in  some  places  the  books  are  authenticated  by  law. 

85 


Chapter 

8.  The  first  book,  which  is  called  Journal;  what  it  is  and  how  it  is  started  and  kept.     (Mentioning  the 

five  customary  standing  lines  of  a  journal.) 

9.  The  two  terms  which  are  used  in  the  Journal  and  the  Ledger,  the  one  named  "Cash,"  the  other 

"Capital,"  and  what  they  mean. 

10.  Two  other  terms  which  are  used  in  the  Journal  and  which  are  mixed  quite  often,  and  what  they 

mean.     ("Per"  and  "A" — Debits  separated  from  Credits  by //.) 

11.  The  principles  underlying  the  use  and  arrangement  of  the  Ledger.     (Author  claims  this  is  very 

dilficult  to  understand;  "Per"  and  "A"  used  to  separate  debit  from  credit,  but  does  not  say  how 
to  make  debits  and  credits  except  that  he  gives  in  connection  with  the  various  methods  of  buy- 
ing and  selling,  eight  rules  for  Journal  entry.) 

12.  The  manner  and  system  by  which  each  entry  in  the  Journal  must  be  written  under  the  proper 

terms.     (Samples  of  Journal  entries,  with  application  of  rules  from  Chapter  11.) 

13.  Short  rules  for  the  Journal  and  Ledger,  and  the  six  things  each  entry  must  contain. 

14.  Explanation  of  old  abbreviations  and  what  is  meant  by  ''Lire  de  grossi."     The  kind  of  money  used 

by  merchants  in  bookkeeping  and  which  really  does  not  exist.  Common  people  use :  Lire=20 
soldi;  1  soldi =12  Picioli. 

(In  Ducats.) 

1  ducat  =  24  grossi. 

1  grosso  =  32  Picioli  in  gold. 

1  Pieiolo  in  gold  =  1-15/16  Picioli  in  money  by  common  people. 

(In  Lire  de  grossi.) 
1  lira  =  10  ducats.  1  soldo  =  12  grossi. 

1  lira  =  20  soldi.  1  grosso  =  32  Picioli. 

1  grosso  in  gold  =  5  grossi  common  money. 

15.  Explanation  needed  in  order  to  understand  the  examples  of  journal  and  ledger  entries. 

PART  II.    LEDGER. 

1.  The  second  and  last  principal  mercantile  book,  called  Ledger ;  what  it  is ;  how  it  is  opened  and  kept. 

2.  The  manner  in  which  the  old  year  is  written  in  this  book  and  about  the  kind  of  money  used  in  post- 

ing. (Year  and  usually  also  the  money  is  written  in  Roman  figures;  Arabic  too  easy  to  change: 
0  to  6  or  9.     Do  not  repeat  date,  but  put  a  line.     Leave  no  open  spaces  for  others  to  fill  in.) 

3.  The  reason  for  having  two  entries  in  the  Ledger  for  each  single  entry  in  the  Journal. 

4.  The  manner  in  which  we  use  both  terms  for  each  entry  in  the  Ledger.     ("A"  on  debit  of  Ledger, 

"Per"  on  credit  of  Ledger;  unlike  the  Journal,  where  "A"  denotes  credit  and  "Per"  debit.) 

5.  The  manner  and  system  to  be  used  in  transferring  entries  from  the  Journal  to  the  Ledger.   (Crosses 

Journal  entry  off  with  one  diagonal  line,  at  the  time  he  enters  the  Ledger  page,  but  does  not  say 
where  to  put  this  line.) 

6.  The  manner  of  marking  entries  in  the  Journal  which  have  been  posted  to  the  Ledger. 

7.  The  two  numbers  of  the  Ledger  pages  which  are  written  in  the  margin  of  the  Journal,  when  the  en- 

try is  posted  from  the  Journal  to  the  Ledger,  the  one  above  the  other  and  separated  by  a  line. 

8.  Another  number,  which  we  write  at  the  beginning  of  each  entry,  through  which  each  entry  can 

easily  be  located  again.     (Numbers  each  Journal  entry  consecutively.) 

9.  The  manner  in  which  the  entries  are  carried  to  another  place  in  the  Ledger  when  one  page  is  filled. 

(Cancel  blank  space  on  either  side  to  lowest  place  of  writing.  Balance  not  entered  in  the  Jour- 
nal.    Carries  balance  only,  with  an  abbreviation  which  means  "Carried  forward.") 

10.  The  manner  and  system  which  should  be  followed  in  the  checking  of  the  books  in  order  to  detect 

errors.  ( Gives  Ledger  to  assistant  and  keeps  Journal,  thus  reversing  method  of  Paeioli.  He  does 
not  use  a  dot  but  "another  mark  than  that  used  first."  (See  chapter  6  above  and  two  lines  be- 
fore each  entry  in  the  reproduction.) 

11.  The  manner  in  which  a  correction  in  the  Ledger  is  made  when  we  have  posted  an  entry  to  the  wrong 

page  in  the  Ledger.  (Never  cross  the  wrong  entry  out  or  erase  it,  for  you  cannot  prove  what 
was  there,  and  hence  it  wiU  be  construed  as  deceit.  If  an  entry  is  posted  to  debit  that  should  be 
credit,  put  another  on  the  credit  to  offset  it,  for  same  amount,  then  proceed  correctly.  Mark  er- 
roneous and  corrective  entries  with  an  X  or  H  (havere)  ;  some  make  correction  in  one  entry  by 
using  double  the  amount.)  '^^^^ii'-' 

12.  How  to  prepare  an  account  for  a  debtor  or  a  creditor  when  he  asks  for  a  statement  of  his  account. 


86 


PIETRA'S  JOURNAL  AND  LEDGER  REPRODUCED 

As  stated  in  the  historical  chapter,  in  1586,  or  nearly  100  years  after  Pacioli  wrote,  Don  Angelo  Pietra 
published  a  work  on  bookkeeping,  which  was  fully  illustrated  with  numerous  examples.  Undoubtedly 
Pietra  had  both  Pacioli  and  Manzoui  before  him  when  writing  his  book,  because  he  describes  matters  which 
Manzoui  omitted  but  Pacioli  gave,  and  also  some  which  Mauzoni  mentioned  and  Pacioli  did  not.  This  will 
be  explained  fully  elsewhere. 

Pietra  was  a  monk  who  endeavored  to  give  a  system  to  be  used  for  monasteries,  but  which  he  claimed 
was  expedient  for  those  who  do  not  trade,  or  in  other  words,  for  corporations  not  for  profit,  and  for  cap- 
italists. The  first  page  is  a  reproduction  of  the  title  page,  in  which  the  reader  will  find  the  author's  name 
just  above,  and  the  date  of  publication  just  below,  the  picture. 

The  next  page  gives  a  chart  of  the  various  methods  of  buying  and  of  selling,  of  each  of  which  Pacioli 
says  there  are  nine.     Pietra  sets  them  up  here  in  a  far  more  systematic  manner,  showing  fifteen  in  all. 

We  show  next  the  first  four  lines  of  the  title  page  to  the  journal,  which  are  the  dedication  of  the 
journal:  "In  the  Name  of  the  most  holy  and  undivided  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost."  Also 
note  the  cross  in  the  sixth  line  which  is  the  sign  used  for  the  first  journal  and  the  first  ledger  when  begin- 
ning a  new  business.  Such  journal  and  ledger  as  we  have  seen  in  Pacioli,  is  called  the  "cross  journal" 
and  the  ' '  cross  ledger. ' ' 

Next  we  give  a  page  of  the  journal.     Prom  this  page,  we  note : 

(1)  That  the  first  page  of  the  journal  carries  the  opening  of  "In  the  Name  of  God." 

(2)  That  thereafter  comes  the  date  in  the  middle  of  the  page.  The  date  is  not  again  given  until  it  is 
changed  and  then  only  the  day  of  the  month  is  given,  omitting  the  year  and  the  name  of  the  month;  "a 
di  detto,"  meaning  "on  the day  of  the  aforesaid  month." 

(3)  That  each  journal  entry  is  divided  by  a  line,  not  clear  across  the  page,  but  from  page  column  to 
money  column. 

(4)  That  as  in  Manzoni's  journal,  no  standing  division  lines  in  money  columns  are  given  (probably 
due  to  lack  of  printing  facilities). 

(5)  That  the  money  consideration  of  each  entry  is  not  only  mentioned  in  the  money  column  but  also 
in  the  explanation  of  the  journal  entry. 

(6)  That  the  name  of  the  debit  account  is  given  first  and  the  credit  last;  that  they  are  divided  by 
two  small  slanting  strokes  followed  by  the  preposition  "  a "  like  this :  //a. 

(7)  That  the  name  of  the  debit  account  is  not  preceded  by  "P"  or  by  "Per"  as  Pacioli  and  Man- 
zoui require. 

(8)  That  the  pages  of  the  ledger  to  which  the  entries  are  transferred  or  posted  are  divided  by  a  hori- 
zontal line  or  dash  between  the  figures,  the  debit  being  always  on  top  and  the  credit  below. 

(9)  That  each  entry  has  a  brief  but  full  explanation  of  the  transaction  represented  by  the  entrj'. 

(10)  That  each  entry  is  carefully  checked  with  a  dot  (not  a  check  mark  as  we  use  and  Pacioli  de- 
scribed or  a  dash  as  Manzoni  showed)  on  the  left  of  the  ledger  pages  in  the  journal.  These  dots  also  ap- 
pear in  front  of  each  ledger  entry. 

(11)  That  Pietra  shows  no  combination  journal  entry  or  entries  with  more  than  one  debit  or  credit. 

(12)  That  he  does  not  show  the  diagonal  cancellation  lines  in  the  journal  as  an  eAadence  of  posting  to 
the  ledger. 

(13)  That  he  does  not  give  any  other  value  sign  than  the  "Lire,"  omitting  the  soldi,  denari,  and 
picioli  signs. 

(14)  That  he  very  carefully  provides  a  dash  in  the  money  column  in  the  place  of  the  cyphers. 

The  illustrations  of  the  journal  are  followed  by  those  of  the  ledger.  The  title  page  contains  the  name 
of  the  ledger,  in  the  fifth  line  " Libro  maestro"  (master  book  or  principal  book).  The  ledger  has  the  same 
dedication  as  the  journal. 

Folio  one  of  Pietra 's  ledger  is  the  equivalent  of  an  opening  balance  account,  giving  the  name  of  the 
old  and  new  account,  the  page  in  the  old  ledger  and  the  page  in  the  new  ledger,  it  being  posted  from  the 
closing  balance  account  in  the  old  ledger  and  not  from  the  journal.  The  assets  are  on  the  credit  side  and 
the  liabilities  on  the  debit  side  of  the  ledger.  The  account  shows  a  deficit  of  L  1706  - 10  -  3.  The  assets 
are  divided  in  two:  first,  the  accounts  receivable  and  their  total,  then  the  merchandise  and  other  specific 
accounts. 

This  page  corresponds  to  the  English  form  of  a  balance  sheet.  It  is  the  proprietor's  half  of  the  open- 
ing inventory  journal  entry  placed  direct  in  the  ledger  instead  of  in  the  journal,  and  as  such  this  repre- 
sents a  proprietor's  account  upon  the  theory  that  the  proprietor  is  credited  for  furnishing  or  loaning  to 
the  personification  of  the  asset  accounts  and  charged  with  the  negative  assets  or  liabilities.  As  our  modern 
capital  account  represents  a  net  difference  between  assets  and  liabilities  (leaving  surplus  out  of  considera- 
tion), it  cannot  be  said  that  Pietra  employed  a  modern  capital  account,  altliough  the  result  is  the  same. 

87 


Page  59  of  this  ledger  also  represents  an  account  with  the  proprietor  or  owner,  and  is  really  a  contin- 
uation of  the  account  on  page  one.  The  first  entry  on  the  debit  is  the  balance  and  deficit  of  L  1706  - 10  -  3, 
properly  transferred  from  page  one  without  the  aid  of  a  journal  entry.  The  following  five  entries  are 
entries  "corrective  of  the  net  capital,  because  they  refer  to  transactions  of  previous  years  and  are  of  little 
importance  for  our  study  except  that  they  show  that  the  principle  of  surplus  adjustments  then  existed. 

Tlie  seventh  entry  on  the  debit,  of  L  4  - 17  - 10,  refers  to  the  same  ledger  page  as  this  selfsame  account 
bears  (namely,  59).  We  find,  therefore,  the  credit  end  of  the  entry  on  the  credit  side  of  this  page.  This 
entry  does  not  come  from  the  journal,  but  is  merely  a  "cross"  or  "wash"  entry  in  the  nature  of  a  memo- 
randum for  the  purpose  of  recording  an  omitted  transaction.  Note  how  carefully  both  entries  are  marked 
with  a  little  circle  (o)  to  set  them  off  from  the  others,  much  the  same  as  we  use  a  cross  (X)  nowadays  for 
the  same  purpose,  and  as  Pacioli  and  Manzoni  also  mention. 

The  last  entry  on  the  debit  side  (L  3744- 0-3)  is  made  also  without  the  aid  of  the  journal.  Its 
counterpart  is  on  page  61  of  the  ledger.  It  represesents  the  net  worth  or  capital  invested  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  and  balances  on  page  61  with  the  difference  between  assets  and  liabilities,  and  is  merely  a  meth- 
odical closing  entry  in  order  that  all  accounts  may  be  closed  at  the  transfer  of  all  open  accounts  to  the 
new  ledger. 

On  the  credit  side  we  find  the  first  five  entries  to  be  surplus  adjustment  entries.  The  sixth  one  is  the 
cross  entry  already  explained,  and  the  last  one,  L  5448  - 10  -  5,  is  the  net  profit  balance  transferred  from 
ledger  page  60  without  the  use  of  the  journal.  Here  then  we  have  an  account  named  "Monastery,"  the 
proprietor  for  which  these  books  are  kept.  It  stands  charged  with  a  capital  deficit,  credited  with  the  an- 
nual profits  and  closed  with  a  debit  balance  representing  present  net  worth,  identical  with  our  present  day 
Capital  account.  The  deficit  in  the  opening  entry,  as  would  appear  from  the  text,  seems  to  be  due  to  the 
low  values  given  to  the  fixed  assets  in  order  to  avoid  heavier  taxation  by  the  church  authorities.  The  ac- 
count shows  no  definite  ledger  heading,  although  the  fir.st  word  on  the  left  page  ''Monastero"  (monastery) 
is  the  name  of  the  proprietor  and  is  not  repeated  in  each  entry.  The  same  method  Pacioli  and  Manzoni 
describe  and  therefore  we  have  not  approached  closer  to  the  definite  ledger  heading. 

Page  60  represents  what  we  call  today  an  "Income  and  Expenses"  account,  sometimes  misnamed  but 
being  similar  to  a  "Profit  or  Loss"  accoiint.  It  is  not  so  named  here.  The  debit  side  is  called  "Spesa 
Generale"  (General  Expenses), — the  credit  side  "Entrata  Generale"  (General  Income). 

It  should  be  remembered  that  these  books  were  not  kept  for  a  mercantile  establishment,  which  operates 
with  the  object  of  a  profit  in  view,  but  only  for  a  monastery,  an  eleemosynary  corporation,  an  institution 
or  corporation  not  for  profit,  hence  it  could  not  use  the  words  profit  or  loss. 

The  balance  on  the  debit  of  L  5448  - 10  -  5  is  the  excess  of  general  income  over  general  expenses,  and 
is  transferred  to  page  59,  which  we  have  explained  is  the  proprietor's  account  or  eqiiivalent  to  our  pres- 
ent capital  account. 

Page  61  contains  the  last  page  of  the  ledger  of  Pietra's  book.  It  is  similar  to  page  one,  except  that 
debits  and  credits  are  reversed.  Here  then  we  have  the  closing  "Balance  account,"  called  ''Esito,"  which 
means  final  or  exit.  It  accurately  represents  our  modern  balance  sheet,  but  is  placed  in  the  ledger  as  a 
permanent  record  and  used  as  a  medium  to  close  all  accounts  in  the  ledger.  It  usually  was  and  quite 
often  now  is  the  custom  to  start  a  new  ledger  each  year,  hence  all  accounts  should  be  closed  when  the  ledger 
is  laid  away.  Pacioli  nor  Manzoni  describe  this  account.  They  transfer  the  open  balances  of  the  asset 
and  liability  accounts  direct  to  the  new  ledger. 

You  will  note  that  the  closing  entry  of  L  3744  -  0  -  3  on  the  credit  is  taken  from  page  59,  the  monas- 
tery or  capital  account.  You  will  also  note  that  it  is  on  the  credit  side  of  the  account,  and  a  total  of  the 
liabilities  is  drawn  before  the  final  balance.  This  is  not  done  anywhere  else  in  the  ledger,  showing  that 
this  account  is  different  and  represents  two  purposes:  one,  that  of  a  final  trial  balance  (after  Profit  and 
Loss  accounts  are  closed)  and  thus  becomes  a  statement  of  assets  and  liabilities;  and,  further,  that  net 
worth  or  capital  is  not  considered  a  liability,  but  an  item  distinct  from  liabilities,  for  the  purpose  of  closing 
the  capital  account  in  the  ledger,  and  transferring  it  in  the  new  ledger. 

Page  21  of  the  ledger  is  given  to  show  how  carefully  all  blank  spaces  are  cancelled  by  slanting  lines ; 
how  accounts  are  kept  in  two  kinds  of  money  with  the  aid  of  a  double  column ;  that  no  reference  is  made 
to  the  pages  in  the  journal  from  which  the  entries  were  posted,  for  the  reason  stated  in  the  text  that  the 
date  was  a  close  enough  reference;  that  the  journal  entries  are  not  numbered,  as  was  done  by  Manzoni. 
Pages  given  immediately  before  the  amounts  refer  to  the  ledger  page  on  which  the  other  side  of  the  double- 
entry  appears;  note  that  on  the  debit  the  preposition  "a"  is  used  for  our  "to"  and  on  the  credit  "per" 
for  our  "by;"  following  Manzoni  in  this  respect,  but  entirely  opposed  to  Pacioli 's  teachings,  opening  and 
closing  entries  do  not  carry  these  prepositions ;  because  they  do  not  constitute  true  debits  and  credits  as 
those  transferred  from  the  journal ;  printers  then,  as  now,  make  errors  in  figures,  as  the  fourth  figure  from 
the  bottom  of  the  debit  side  should  be  250  instead  of  205,  as  per  addition  and  the  opening  entry  on  page 
one;  the  explanation  in  the  journal  is  repeated  in  the  ledger  and  more  than  one  line  is  used  for  an  entry 
if  needed ;  a  single  line  is  drawn  under  the  figures  only  and  then  the  total  put  in;  the  word  "somma" 
(total)  is  used  in  front  of  the  figures  instead  of  the  double  line  m'c  now  rule  under  the  total;  no  totals  or 
lines  are  drawn  when  the  account  contains  only  one  item ;  every  entry  is  carefully  checked  with  a  dot  in 
the  left  margin ;  the  name  of  the  account  is  engrossed  at  the  beginning  of  the  first  line  on  the  left  and 
thus  approaches  the  definite  ledger  heading  of  the  present  day ;  the  date  belonging  to  each  entrj^  is  not  set 
out  in  a  definite  column,  although  the  text  mentions  this;  "dee  dare"  (should  give  or  debit)  and  "dee 
havcre"  (should  have  or  credit)  is  only  stated  once  at  the  beginning  of  each  account  and  not  in  every  en- 
try, as  we  would  infer  from  Pacioli  the  custom  was. 

88 


In  order  to  give  the  reader  a  clear  understanding  of  what  is  contained  in  Pietra's  book  and  to  show 
how  much  more  polished,  complete  and  advanced  it  is  than  the  book  of  either  Pacioli  or  Mauzoni,  and  to 
indicate  the  many  new  features  he  introduces,  we  are  giving  here  a  brief  description  of  each  chapter  in  the 
nature  of  an  index. 

1.  Day  book  or  scrap  book  and  similar  books  are  necessary  in  order  to  get  journal  and  ledger  in  good  form. 

2.  Explains  debit  and  credit  as  to  "A"  and  "Per"— our  "To"  and  "By,"  and  the  two  little  lines  // 

which  separate  debits  from  credits. 

3.  Makes  a  distinction  between  bookkeeping  for  bankers,  merchants,  and  capitalists. 

4.  Describes  the  three  ledgers  for  these  three  methods. 

5.  Says  some  more  about  the  ledger  for  capitalist  and  calls  it  the   ' '  Economic  Ledger. ' '     Author  uses 

this  kind  of  ledger  in  his  book  of  samples  which  he  adapts  to  the  business  of  a  monastery. 

6.  The  first  part  of  the  inventory  covering  immovable  assets. 

7.  The  second  part  of  the  inventory  covering  merchandise  or  goods  for  use  in  the  house  (not  fixtures — 

they  belong  to  movables). 

8.  The  third  part  of  the  inventory  of  movable  assets. 

9.  Gives  tabulated  detailed  inventory  of  the  movable  assets  of  a  monastery. 

10.  About  qualifications  of  bookkeeper,  namely,  bright  and  of  good  character;  good  handwriting;  also 

knowledge,  ambition,  and  loyalty,  and  gives  reasons  for  each  of  these. 

11.  Necessity  for  use  of  but  one  particular  coin  in  the  Ledger  as  the  money  used  in  Italy  is  of  so  many 

different  varieties.     Here  is  used 

1  Scuto  =  4  Lire  =  80  Soldi  in  gold. 

12.  Describes  the  measures  and  weights  used  by  the  author. 

13.  Put  a  value  on  those  things  which  are  harvested  and  manufactured,  but  this  should  be  lower  than 

current  prices  so  that  the  proceeds  will  not  fall  below  this  value  in  case  of  sale.  What  has  been 
used  should  be  charged  to  the  proper  department  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

14.  About  the  figures  to  be  used.     The  Roman  figures  are   difficult   to   change,   but  because   fraudulent 

changes  are  more  to  be  feared  by  bankers  and  merchants,  he  used  the  easier  and  more  commonly 
used  Arabic  figures.  Changes  can  be  easily  prevented  by  putting  the  money  sign  for  lire  directly 
in  front  and  separating  the  divisions  of  the  lire  by  little  dashes,  thus  L  18  -  8  -  2 — very  much  the 
same  as  done  at  present  in  England. 

15.  About  the  fiscal  year.     It  can  begin  when  one  chooses,  but  must  be  twelve  months  long  and  must  keep 

the  same  figures  for  the  same  year,  namely,  from  June  1,  1586,  to  May  31st,  1586,  not  1587. 

16.  Day  books  or  memoranda  books  are  necessary  because  the  journal  and  ledger,  due  to  their  legal  au- 

thentication, can  be  used  only  by  the  one  bookkeeper  appointed  therefor  and  whose  signature  ap- 
pears therein.  Furthermore,  transactions  must  be  written  down  at  the  time  and  the  place  where 
they  occur,  and  that  may  not  be  where  the  books  are  kept.  Therefore,  there  are  several  memoranda 
books  concurrently  used,  the  first  one  of  which  is  marked  with  a  cross  and  those  which  follow  with 
a  letter  in  the  order  of  the  alphabet. 

17.  There  should  be  at  least  three  of  these  day  books  or  memorials  used — one  for  the  cash  receipts  and 

disbursements  and  the  deposits  in  the  bank;  one  for  the  petty  cash  disbursements  and  one  for  all 
other  entries  from  which  the  journal  is  written  up,  the  latter  to  be  in  greater  detail  than  the  others. 
Other  day  books  can  be  kept  with  the  sales  and  purchases,  rents,  taxes,  etc.  A  book  is  needed  for  the 
library  and  information  pertaining  to  contracts,  leases,  employes,  due  dates,  etc.  Receipts  for 
money  loaned  should  be  kept  in  bound  book  form  so  that  they  may  not  be  lost  or  stolen.  Each  de- 
partment head  should  keep  such  a  book  with  its  transactions,  such  as  the  shoe  maker,  gardener, 
tailor,  etc. 

18.  Describes  a  blotter  or  tickler  which  contains  a  sheet  for  each  month,  and  a  line  for  each  day  in  which 

the  duties  of  the  storekeeper  and  butler  are  written,  one  for  each  day  in  the  year. 

19.  Gives  such  a  book  in  full  detail. 

20.  About  the  journal  and  how  to  keep  it.     Journal  is  basis  of  the  ledger  and  therefore  it  is  essential  that 

it  is  kept  correctly. 

21.  The  beginning  of  the  journal,  in  the  name  of  God.     The  value  of  prayer  to  success  and  the  use  of 

the  little  cross  (t)  as  explained  elsewhere.  

22.  Entries  should  be  made  in  the  journal  from  day  to  day  and  hour  to  hour,  but  some  times  this  is  not 

possible,  especially  in  a  monastery,  where  the  memoranda  or  day  books  of  the  various  departments 
are  delivered  only  once  a  month. 

23.  About  the  manner  and  order  in  which  the  entries  are  made  in  the  journal.     A  list  of  days  on  which 

entries  are  to  be  made  is  prepared  by  days  from  aU  the  memoranda  or  day  books,  the  cash  entries 
always  fij-st. 

24.  Gives  an  example  of  this  list. 

25.  Eight  things  always  needed  to  make  a  proper  journal  entry :     Debit — Credit — Time — Value — Quality 

— Quantity — Price — Arrangement ; 

The  first  two  being  the  most  important. 

26.  The  greatest  difficulty  is  to  find  what  to  debit  and  what  to  credit.    All  entries  can  be  reduced  to 

three  principles. 

89 


27.  List  of  above  three  priuciples : 

1.  (Receipt,  sales,  payment  of  au  aceoimt  due,  borrowing. 
(Disbursement,  purchase,  pajinent  of  a  debt,  loauiug. 

2.  (Purchasing  on  credit  or  for  cash. 
(Selling  ou  credit  or  for  cash. 
(Exchanging  with  money  or  without. 

3.  (Assignment  of  a  debt  to  settle  with  a  creditor,  or  vice  versa,  called  drafts. 

28.  About  the  six  other  things  needed  for  a  proper  journal  entry. 

29.  How  the  journal  is  arranged.     (See  reproduction  of  journal  page  and  explanatory  notes  appended; 

omits  the  consecutive  numbering  of  Journal  entry,  as  so  many  do,  because  the  date  is  a  sufficient 
guide  to  locate  the  entry  in  the  journal.) 

30.  About  the  ledger  and  its  formation. 

Explains  the  opening  account  on  page  1  of  the  ledger,  and  states  it  is  the  reverse  of  the  closing  ac- 
count. Here  he  mentions  debit  as  debito  and  credit  as  credito,  although  he  usually  states  debit  as 
"dec  dare"  and  credit  as  "dee  havere."     Capital  account  is  the  key  and  the  seal  of  the  ledger. 

31.  Explains  the  use  of  the  two  ledger  accounts — "Opening"   and   "Monastery."     "Opening"   is   what 

the  merchant  calls  "Capital"  and  practically  he  claims  the  same  for  "Monastery." 
82.     Explains  what  entries  may  be  made  in  the  capital  account.     Corrections  of  errors  and  profits  or  losses 
belonging  to  previous  years.     What  we  call  surplus  adjustments. 

33.  Gives  a  table  of  such  capital  account  entries. 

34.  About  the  arrangement  of  accounts  in  the  ledger,  the  capital  account  to  be  at  the  end  of  the  book. 

35.  List  of  accounts  in  the  ledger. 

36.  The  ordinary  index. 

37.  The  special  index. 

38.  Posting  figures  in  the  journal  (one  above  the  other). 

39.  How  the  entry  is  written  in  the  ledger.     ("A"  on   debit  side   of  ledger,   "Per"   on   credit  side   of 

ledger.) 

40.  Transfer  to  a  new  page  is  made  by  drawing  the  difference  between  the  two  sides  and  transferring 

this  to  the  new  page. 

41.  How  to  correct  errors  in  the  entries. 

42.  Entries  which  are  written  direct  in  the  ledger  without  having  been  put  in  the  journal. 

43.  About  the  income  and  expense  account  and  the  method  of  buying  and  selling.     The  author  here  states 

that  merchants  use  this  account  for  their  profits  or  losses. 

44.  The  vouchering  by  a  signature  of  the  principal  disbursements. 

45.  About  the  difference  in  bookkeeping  for  land  rented  and  that  cultivated  for  one 's  own  account. 

46.  Three  principal  reasons  why  the  income  should  be  divided  over  the  same  accounts  in  which  the  ex- 

penses and  salaries  are  separated,  namely  to  each  departmental  sub-division. 

47.  When  the  best  time  is  to  enter  the  rentals  from  lauds.     In  the  fall  when  the  harvest  is  made,  as  at 

the  end  of  the  fiscal  year  is  a  busy  enough  time. 

48.  About  personal  accounts  and  the  carrying  of  accounts  with  two  different  money  values. 

49.  About  the  cash  account  in  the  ledger,  and  its  peculiar  uses. 

50.  About  the  acquisition  and  alienation  of  lands,  for  which  separate  accounts  are  provided. 

51.  About  the  accounts  with  partners  or  joint  ventures. 

52.  When  and  how  to  check  with  dots. 

53.  A  short  method  of  checking  with  dots. 

54.  How  to  take  a  trial  balance,  which  also  constitutes  the  balance  sheet.     Divides  the  same  in  four :     1, 

expenses ;  2,  income ;  3,  assets ;  4,  liabilities. 

55.  How  to  find  trial  balance  errors  in  a  checked  ledger. 

56.  How  to  refute  a  wrong  opinion  about  the  trial  balance.     Explains  the  fact  that  while  debits  and 

credits  must  equal,  that  such  does  not  mean  that  the  assets  equal  the  liabilities. 

57.  How  to  compute  the  income  and  expense  account.     This  he  considers  the  most  difficult,  as  some  ac- 

counts will  have  three  closing  entries, — one  for  profit  on  sales ;  one  for  merchandise  used  by  other 
departments  of  the  business ;  and  one  for  merchandise  remaining  on  hand.  Furthermore,  meas- 
ures and  weights  should  also  be  brought  in  balance. 

58.  The  manner  in  which  the  closing  balance  account  is  made  up.     Accounts  are  only  ruled  at  the  end  of 

the  year  by  a  line  under  the  figures  or  amounts ;  tlien  entering  the  total,  ^vhich  must  be  the  same  on 
both  sides.  If  an  account  is  closed  during  the  year,  only  a  line  is  drawn,  but  the  total  is  put  inside 
the  column  and  not  under  the  line. 

59.  About  other  methods  of  closing  the  ledger  and  their  shortcomings.     Here  the  author  describes  several 

methods  used  at  that  time  of  closing  a  ledger  and  prefers  his  own  because  it  gives  finally  in  one  ac- 
count the  status  of  the  capital,  whereas  the  other  methods  do  not  do  so. 

60.  How  an  account  is  rendered  to  the  church  authorities  at  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year. 

90 


In  the  comparative  index  we  have  given  the  items  which  are  discussed  by  all  the  four  authors  there 
mentioned.  There  are,  however,  a  number  of  items  which  some  of  the  authors  use  and  others  do  not. 
From  among  these,  the  following  are  taken  as  the  most  important. 

Pietra  discusses  the  following  in  his  book,  but  Pacioli  and  Manzoni  do  not : 

Chapter 

3  distinction  in  bookkeeping  for  bankers,  merchants,  and  capitalists. 

4  describes  three  ledgers  for  these  three  businesses. 

5  describes  more  in  detail  the  ledger  for  capitalists — called  "Economic  Ledger." 
7  inventory  of  merchandise  in  stores. 

10  qualifications  of  bookkeepers. 

12  description  of  measures  and  weights  used  in  book. 

13  put  value  on  things  harvested  and  used,  and  those  not  sold  but  used  in  other  departments. 
15  describes  fiscal  year — use  same  numerals,  although  calendar  year  changes. 

17         separate  daybooks  for  the  following  subjects :    cash — bank — petty    cash — library — contracts — 
leases — salaries — due  dates — loans — and  one  for  each  department. 
18  &  19     daily  tickler  for  bookkeeper  and  storekeeper's  duties. 

22  journal  written  up  once  a  month  in  a  monastery,  because  all  daybooks  are  in  use. 

23  the  order  in  which  transfers  from  daybook  to  journal  are  made — a  list  of  this  prepared  before- 
hand— cash  entries  always  first. 

25  &  28     eight  things  always  needed  in  any  journal  entry. 

26  &  27     rules  for  journalizing. 

29  arrangement  of  journal  with  five  standing  lines,  but  omits  numbers  of  journal  entries. 

31  divides  capital  into  two  accounts — opening  capital  at  beginning  of  year — closing  capital  at 
end  of  year. 

32  interim  entries  in  capital  account  or  surplus  adjustments. 

33  table  of  such  capital  entries. 

34  capital  account  always  at  end  of  the  ledger. 
37         special  index. 

39         apparent  transposition  of  "A"  and  "Per"  in  ledger  from  its  use  in  journal. 

42  list  of  entries  which  do  not  go  through  journal. 

43  vouchering  of  disbursements. 

45  book  for  lands  rented  and  cultivated  for  own  account. 

46  income  divided  in  same  accounts  as  expenses. 

47  when  to  enter  rentals — in  fall  or  end  of  fiscal  year. 

48  personal  accounts  and  accounts  with  two  different  values  of  moneys. 
50  acquisition  and  alienation  of  lands. 

53         a  short  method  of  checking  the  ledger. 

Pietra  mentions  the  following  in  his  book,  as  does  Manzoni,  but  Pacioli  does  not,  proving  by  this 
that  Pietra  had  apparently  available  both  Manzoni  and  Pacioli: 

more  than  one  memoriale 

five  standing  or  "down"  lines  in  journal 

definite  rules  for  journal  entries 

six  things  always  needed  in  each  journal  entry 

about  transposition  of  "A"  and  "Per"  in  ledger  from  its  use  in  the  journal 

(Pietra  does  not  explain  definitely  although  his  examples  give  it.) 
numbering  of  journal  entries. 

Pietra 's  Chapter  33  explains  all  entries  which  may  appear  in  the  capital  account  and  illustrates 
them  with  the  following  tabulation : 


1.  During  the  year 

2.  At  the  end  of  the  year 


1.     During  the  year. 
A.     Profits. 


a.  omitted  credits 

a.  collected  Cash  to  capital 

b.  uncollected  Debtor  to  capital 

b.  judgments  obtained 

a.  collected  Casli  to  capital 

b.  uncollected  Debtor  to  capital 


91 


a.     omitted  debts 

a.  paid 

b.  to  be  paid 


b. 


a. 


b. 


judgments  lost 

a.  paid 

b.  to  be  paid 


balances  of  accounts 

a.  what  is  due 

b.  what  is  owed 

balance  sheet  adjustment 

a.  what  is  owed 

b.  what  is  due 


B.    Losses. 

Capital  to  cash 
Capital  to  creditor 

Capital  to  cash 
Capital  to  creditor 

2.    At  the  end  of  the  year. 
A.     Extraordinary  Accounts. 


Capital  to  creditor. 
Creditor  to  capital 

several  kinds  and  without 
connection  with  the  books 


B.    Ordinary  Accounts. 


a. 

b. 


excess  in  expenses 
excess  in  income 


Capital  to  income 
Expenses  to  capital 


Pietra's  Chapter  42  explains  about  the  many  entries  which  are  made  in  the  ledger,  without  going 
through  the  journal,  and  classifies  them  as  follows : 

Refers  to  entries  which  we  transfer  from  the  old  ledger  into  the  new,  partly  daily,  partly  at  the  end 
of  the  year. 

1.  the  introduction 

2.  the  opening  of  capital  account  when  it  is  transferred  from  the  closing  capital  account  and  not 

from  a  new  inventory. 

3.  balances  transferred  from  one  account  to  another. 

4.  contra  entries  to  correct  errors. 

5.  profit  or  loss  due  to  inventory  adjustments. 

6.  the  balance  of  the  income  and  expense  account. 

7.  all  closing  entries  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

8.  the  closing  of  the  closing  capital  account. 


92 


I  N  D  R  I  Z  Z  O 

DEGLl    ECONOMI. 

OSIA  ORDINATISSIMA 

INSTRVTTIONE  DA  REGOL  A  T  A  M  EM  T  E 

FORMARE    Q.VALVNOVE     SCRITTVRA 

INVNLIBRO      DOPPlOi 

AGG  I  VN  TOVI  L'ESSEMPLARE  Df    VN   LIBRO 

MOBILE^CO'L  SVO  GlORNALE,AD  VSO  DELLA 

CONGREGATION     C  ASSINESE  .DELL'ORDfNE 

01     S      (TEnCDEtto 

qONDVETAVOLEjLVNA  DEC  APITOLI,  ET  LALTRA 

DELLE  COSE   P[V   DEGNE.A   PIENO 

INTENDimENTO     Ol     CIASCVNO 

Opera  nuoua,non  mcno  vtilechcnecefl'ana,a  Rcligio<l,che  viuono  dclle  proprie 

Rcndite.&adogniPadrediFamiglin.chefidiletti 

del   Libro  Doppio 

CotspofhldaDo&AQgcIo  Piecrj  GenouefeMoiiacOy&indegnoferuodiGieruChrirco, 


IN  MANTOVA.PcrFranccfcoOfanna.ConliccnxadeSupcnori.  MDLXXXV 


93 


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94 


N  O  M  E^D  ELLA 

SANTISSIMA    ET 

INDIVIDVA    TRINITA* 

PADRE,  FIGLIO,  E  SPIRITO  SANTO. 

GIORNALE     DEL     LIBRO     MAESTRO, 

5EGNATO    *    DEL    MONASTER  O, 

DEL    GLORIOSO    PRECVRSOR 

D     I      C     H    R     I    S    T     O. 

SAN   GIO.   BATTISTA   DORIAN  A, 
DELLANNO.     1586. 

Comlndato  adi  primo  Giugno .  Scritto  da  me  Don  Gabriello  da  Parma , 

Cellerarodeldetto  Monaftero^diordine  del  molco  Reuerendo 

Padre  Don  Romano  Senefe  Abatcdella  Congregation 

Calsinefe,  dell'ordinedel  noftro  Santifsimo 

Padre  Benedetto . 


So 


ALNOMEOrDIO,  i 

Adi  primo dt  Gitigno  1586. 

Per   Cartolcria/  a  Cafla.Iire  venti  S 10.  fpefeinqueftolibrodoppio,  col  fuoGiorna 

V        le&  Alfabeto,conaltreduevacchette,e  fquarciafogli f  — 20-10— 

.jt 

Mutationi  A  aCafla,lirecmquantacinque^  lo.date.cioe/iz.alP.D.Benedet- 
toda  Bologna  Decano ,  mutaco  quefto  capitolo  a  Modona,  per  fiia  muutic 

—  ne  di  vn  arino,ebuona  mano.e'jf  55 — 10. dateaDonGio.  Pietro  daSalo, 
'*  *      mutato  aPraglia.per  fua mutatione  di  vn'anno.fpefc  fatte,e  buona  mano,  co 

meperlororiceuereappare  dillintamence nel  hbro  di  efsi — jf  — JJ— »o — 

Dette/,  aD.MaurodaPiaceoza  Concelleraro.lirediaTette^  i2.c0nteaD.Va- 

—  icntiniano  da  NapolirautatOflTloma,per  fua  mutatione  ebuonamano,dime 

'^^       finoue,ch'eidimor6inmuefloMCTi3f?ero,comeperfuoriceuere ^  — 17—11 — 


Aril  I  derto. 
.?»  Cafla/'aFedericobarbarolTa  mjlyhefe.lire  trecento  quarantaotto^ii.con- 
.'5/       temipermanodiMarcoSolharioform3ggiaro,abu6cotodcl  Aio  debitoj?  —548-11- 

•35  D.Mauro  Concelleraro/  aCa{r3.  iire  cento  ttenta  ,  contegli  per  fpendere, 

T}»       come  almio libretto  a.^paredilllncamente ^  _ijo 


•38  F.Thomafo  di  Val  camonicafpenditore/ZaCafla.  lire  nonantafette^  14.8.  con 

•J*       tegli  per  fpendere  a  minuto 3?  —97—14—8- 


.;8  Cornelio  Landino  fcruidore '/a  D.Mauro  Concelleraro,  lire  uenti,da  luiha- 

•3  J       uutc  a  buon  conco  delfuocredito gf  ^o 

J^  Cafla  "adAleffandro  del  Sole Affittuale,lirequattroccntoottantafette.p  10. 

'S «      dalui  hauutc  a  buon  conto  del  fuo  debito -^  — 487— ro- 

±2  P.D.PlacidoMantouanoRettorediBadia/aCana,lirecencoquaranta,contc- 

•3  I      gli  dafpendcre ,  come  al  mio libretto 3?  —140 


j39  F.Manfueto  ITrefciano  cunodealPriorato//aCa(ra,lirefettaiitacinque,  con- 

~j  i      tegh  da  fpendere  intornoalle  poflefsioni #  — ^75- 


■40  P.Vigilantio  Comafco  Oblato.cuftodea  Santi  Martiri  /a  Caffa.lire  cetouenti, 

•3  *      mandategli  da  fpendere,pcr  mano  di  Fabritio  Gallo  noftro  fattore jf  — 1 20- 


•' ;  Limofine  ■  a  D.  Maiiro,lire  otto,  date d'ordine  del  Reuerendo  P.  Abate,  ad  al- 

.35      tunihebrei  fatti  chriftiani — 3? 8 


^58  Berengario  Serpcntinocamparo//aF.  Manfueto  ,lirefette.F  'o.da  luihauute 

,39      a  buon  conto  del  fuo  falario x  — -7— lO- 

Adi  j.detro. 
^8  m-SigirniondoTranquillo/ZaGordiandLampridioaffiittualejlircdugentoot- 
.ji      tanta,contegUanoftronomeinpagamento ^  — a8o 


jlf  Badia //al P.D.PIa<iido,lire vndeci $  i S.per  dodici  raftelIadori,& 24.  forchedi 

•3  7      legno,  compre  per  raftellarc  &  cuftodire  il  fieno ,  come  al  fuo  libro 3?  -..  x  i—i  8- 


Jj?  S.Martiri//aF.Vigilantio,lirefette^i5.5.perdicce  pale  compre  per  lo  fru- 
4°      mento,  corneal  fuo  libro  apparc X  - — 7— ij-^- 


A    a 
96 


NOME  DELLA 

SANTISSIMAET 

INDIVIDVA    TRINITA* 

PADRE,  FIGLIO,  E  SPIRITO  SANTO. 

LIBRO     MAESTRO      SEGNATO    4^,      DEL 

MONASTERO,      DEL     GLORIOSO 

PRECVRSOR    DI    CHRIST  O, 

SAN   GIO.   BATTISTA   DORIAN  A, 

D  E  L  L'  A  N  N  O.     1586. 

CominciatoalprimoGiugno.  Scrictoda  mcDon  Cefarioda  Cremona, 

monaco  deldetto  Monafterojdiordine  del  molto  Reuerendo 

Padre  Don  Romano  Senefe  Abate,  E  del  P,  D.  Gabriello 

Parmiggiano  Decano  ,  c  Celleraro  del  detto 

Monaftero,della  Congregation  Ca(si» 

nefc J dellordine del  noftro 

Santiflimo  Padre 

Benedetto. 


97 


15  85. 

f  N  T  R  O I T  O  del  prcfente  libro  +  dec  dare  adi  pr  Imo  Giugno, 
percrrinfrafcrirtiCrcdicofidel  Moaadero.quuirati  dairEflto 
delUbroJoll'annopaflaco.fegaacoZ.circe    48(5.&aquello   da 
.  .^  I  cat!  loro  come  appreflb.cioe. 

.AlTenarionidaUibroZ.-  car.4i9.TiratoiQquefto libro car.  15 

Vcn.,CongfegaiioiKnoftraCafsinere — 430 A  — j5 — 4    j-d-car.  4* 

B.D..ClemenccAleni — . 4?i  car.  4^ 

m.  .OtraUio  Fortunato  in  VinCgia — 456 A  laoo.a  y  per  100.  car.  45 

m.  .QuiatilianoPoetainVinegia 45<5 A-6oo.a  4per  100.  car.  45 

m.  .PompilioDefideratoinVmegia  —  4j<J A -600.34 per  r 00.  car.  45 

m.  .BanhobSaladinoin  Vinegia   457 A    500.34  per  100. car.  46 

m.  .ZacheoVeraceinMilano 437 A -doo.  a 4 per  100,  car.  45 

.Mario  Paimcrino 4^8  car.  49  t  —547-15    S-- 

•Ramondo  Pipmo 453 car.  48  t  -49J     '<> 

m.  .SabinoPiftoia 458  car.  48 


sf 

2750- 

se 

-lU 

/ 

-   57 

/ 

4800 

5f 

54od 

Sf 

2400 

/ 

2000 

X 

2400. 

t 

-547- 

t 

-49J 

t 

-645 

i; 


.Quintilio  Piirpurato 459 car.  43  /  -570-17-6. 

.Sigifmondo  Tranquillo 44<5  far.  .48  J'  -t8o  — 

ftl.  .Torquaco  Rinieri —  446 car.  49  X  -325 

.EneaSaiano 448  "r.  49  ^  -ip5     16  —- 

Jllianodalla  Scala 449 car.  49  /  -  48^-10    8- 

m.  vLiberio  de'Mauri —  449  car.  4P  S?  -893-  U    5- 

.Horatio  Laureato 4S0 car,  49  X  -289-16-2  . 

01.  .Seneca Valorofoaffittuale 451  car.  51  /  -  785-18    ^  - 

.Agolante  de'Mori  ferraro 465 Car,  J 7  3°  —127    12 

.Agrippa  Tibiillo  marangonc 464  car.  57  3!  —  dg  -   7-8- 

.PompeioBelcolore  ciroico 475 car.  57  5?  — ig  - 10 

.EugeniodaPidoia   barbcro 47^  car.  57  ^ — i 


.Dante  Congiurato  barbero .474 car.  57  jf  -.10-  6 

.GerbinoRulHcofornaro 476  car.  57  X — 57—13-10— 

.Delfino  Commodocamparo 477— ■ car.  58  5f  — 7^    12 

.Berengario  Serpentinocamparo— 477  car.  58  3? — 18    17    8-- 

.AnnibaleCermanofcruidore 480 car.  58  jf  — 150- 


.Cornelio  Landiiio  feruidorp 480  car.  58  3?  —  io-15 

.Agapjto  Pagani  feruidore- 481 car.  58  3?  — 12-17-p- 


.Somma  ^£2^052- i<S-i 


98 


t   S  i  6. 


.D  Echaiierf  adi  primoGiugno,  per  gl'  infrafaitti  Dcbitori  del  Monancro , 
qui  tiracl  dallEfico  del  lib.dellannopaflatofcgnatoZ.car.436.8iaqucl 
lodai  contilorocomc  appreflo.cio^ 

R.D..Lorezo  dc'Simonidal libro  Z.  carc€i4?  i  Ttrato  io  qucfto  Ubro- car. 


m. 


.Carlo  Bianchinocontodi  tempo  450 
.EmanuellcClaudiaaoc6coditcpo-4Ji 
.Attolfo  Corrado 4SS 


.Maggiode'PopoIi- 
.ColtanreDragone- 
.TibcrioScellaro 


4S5 
45S 
4j6 

4S<S 


.Oitaufano  Giordano 

.Alcdandro  del  Sole  afrittuale —     . 

.Gord  lano  Latnpridio  affi  tt  uale — 45  S 

.Federico  BarbarofTamalghcfc 459 

.Marino  Orlaodo  molinaro 4<5i 

.Ricardo  Salomone  molinaro 4^» 

-.CafsianoAmirante  molinaro 46  j 

.Deodato  Falcone  maflaro 46$ 

,Dem«trioConteftabile  malTaro— 4^6 

.Valerio  Leoni  malTaro 467 

.FabricioGailo  fattore 47'S 


457 


.Ccledino  RofTo  fcruidore 


— 4B0 


m.  .Zerb  )ntoQnaranragiaaf/itruale  481 

ro.  .MarcoT.Villanuouagiaafficruale  4^* 

.faufloGiouialegi3noQrom3fliro484 

.Imiocentio  Maioranogia fattore-  431 

•Lconcio  Manfredi  gia  nollro  mol.  48 j 


Reflanti  di  quedo  aanw 

.Ordinaria 

,Cafc»aria- 


.Magazuio  d'Oglio 
.Forno  dr  Farina  ■ — 

.Vclticria 

.Calzoleria 

.Barbaria 


.Cantjnadi  uino  in  Camerone- 

.Cantiaa  detta •- 

.Cantinadi  uinodiuerfa 


3i}  S3lcPcfi70. 

314  Formaggio  Pefi  50.- 

'I»5  OgUoPefi  JO 

■  J»7  Farina  Scara45 

-  3 J »'  RafcJe  pezzc cmquc- 

333  Cordoani,& fuolc  — ■ 

34*  SaponePefi  10. 

-3^4  car.ao.di  umo  perufo — 
-3<^4  car.io.da  uenderea;r  JJ 

36?   car.18.  per  ofo 

•3<^<^  <;ar.20.perufo 


Somma  X  » 
■  car.    2  X 


- —  car. 

car. 

car. 

. —  car. 

car* 

car* 

car- 

—  car« 

—  car. 

—  car- 
car- 


.Cantinadi umo mMonaftero-        ,-     ^...*v..t.-.  .-.- 

.GranarodifrumentoinCamerone3<57  Hara  25'.pcr  ufo 

.Granaro  detto 367  ftara  i5S.daucnderca;3-i8  "f-  ^^  ^ 

.GranarodiFrumenrodiuerfo j^g  hara45.per  vfo car-  i6  f 

.Granaro di  FrumetoinMonaHero  i*^?  Ilara  lO.  per  ufo car-  17  / 

.Granaro detto ^^69  ftarai85.da  uc'derea;f  3.  iScar-  17  X 


.Granaro  difrumenrara 

.Granaro<iiVena,eSpclta 
.Magaziiiodi  Lino 

.CJlfadelP.  Celleraro 

.D.Mauro  Coiuclleraro  — 

.F.Thomarofpcnditorc 


37°  ItaraSo  per  ufo 

i^^  Itara  60. per  vfo 

._  381   Peri3o.dauendcrca/ 8.6.8.  car 

4'2  Inconranti car 

~ — 413  Incontanci car 

421  Incontanci 


—  car. 

—  car. 


car. 


ddj4  -  i»-l  - 

-70 

i  t  -  US 

3  ,e  -lio 

4  /  -.  90 

6  X  -130 

7  /  -  80 — 

9  X  ^-io 

*4  X  — if>o 

H  f  -  300 — 

»S  <?  _  90 — 

25  X  —100 

%6  X  —-50 

_6oo 

—•90 

-MO 

-goo 

s7  X  -lio 

JO  ^  — 60— 

II  X  -»So 

ii  X  iis8 
34  7^--7J 
38^       31 


10-5 


.Monaftero  NOSTRO. 


Somma  # 


484 


»»346 
"1706 


.Senuna  X  ijosi-  i*^-* 


99 


D 


M«6.  21 

Ee  hauere  a><t'  a^.Lugb'o    pcT  Cranaro  vicl  Monaflcro,  per  lo  prezzo 

conmiunca    a.di  ftara  196. rMimento4i3 autcgH  queiVanno,  come 

allibro  de'Granariappare  dntinr joicntC car.  27  #  — ipJ 

-Ecpiii      perGraxiaro  difrurtJenrata,hauuragliquenoanno,raglona- 

taa^^orrerzo commune  — — car.  37^  — i^^- — - 

•Etadi 26.0c cibre  /per  CanrinadeJ  MonafJcro,pcrcarra  ig.  uino, 

hauutogli  come fopra  .ragionatoa/'s.prezzo  commune car.  j?  3?  — 90 

.Etpiu  /  perGranarodiM!glio,f>ara46,ragionaroai  jo. car.  a8  3?  -.^p 

JEcpiii  /perCranarodiMelega,llara45i.iagionataa  F20. car.  257  ^ — 48 

it  adi  1 1.  Maggie,  per  F.Vigilanrio,  h3uutidaPi68.dipratoaffirta 

toa^5.4.aSimone  OuarnaccU car.  40  g?  — 41— iz- 


.Somma  j?  — ytf^-ii- 


.Di 


Ec hauere adt 4  j.Lwglio  /  peri^quilaCradifoafBttualeex  parter.per 
lo  prezzo  commune  a  ;^  2,dIltara256iruinentonedecquefta  raced 
ta.perlofitto  del prirao  anno car.  5s  3?  -500 

.Etpiu  /per  Aquila  detto,  per  ftara  40.  di  Vena,  oe  dee  come  fopra, 

ragionata a }20.prczzo commune • car.  Ji  g?  — 40 

.Etadi  2(5.0ctobre/  per  Aquila  detro,  per  carra  iS.uino  oedee  co 
me  fopra, ragionatoalprezzocoounune car.  52  ^  — 90 


'.SonwDa  /  -  ^jo- 


.JL/Ee  HSuerc  adi  2  j.Lugb'o  /  pfrSeaeroBioodo  naflaro ,  &  affittaate , 

pcHtara7o.ft-unftntoncdceper  lofittodiquefto4.  anno  — car.  ja  jC  ->i4o- 

.Et  adi  26.0ttobre  /  per  Seuero  detro  per  car  lo.dJi  wioo  oc  dee  co- 
meibpra.ragtonatoa/S.prezzo  commune — , car.  ^a  ^  — jo- 

«£cadi  I a.Nouembre  /per Seuero detto^cr  lofieeo io  denar>-di  que. 
fto  quarto  anno  finito  a  S.Martino,dapagarci  come  alfuo  coco  car.  5*  3^-400- 


.Somma  X  -  590- 


D, 


Ee  hauere  adi  17  Luglio  /  per  Granaro  dlFaua,  hauuragU  qu«ftoaooo 

in  iioftrafparte,ragionataai3d.pre2zoccKnmune car,  sp  g?  ««.;a- 

.Etpiu  /perGranarodi  Legumi>ftara8.hauuti,&ragionat>ucfUcar,  a^  ^  — it- 
it  adi  atf.Ottobrc  /  per  Cantina  del  Monaftero,per  carta  la.uino  ha 

uutogli  comefoprajragionato  al  prezzo  commune  di  ;f  5 • car.  25  x  ~.6o- 


.Somma  3!— 124^10- 


D 


EC  hauere  adi  T4.AprIlc  /  per  Cafla,tien3aeoa  G€ 

tile  Maffimino,a  X  i o.il  pefo,per  mano  del  P.D. 

PlacidoRettorein  Badia car.  34  pcfi   loa.  la.  6  t  xoaj- 

,Et  per  faldo  di  quefto  conto,caIaco  per  quaoton  e 

uunacodi  piu>xaic  due  partite  cotroicriicC'Car.  at   Pefi  — a.  \i»6  


.Somma  pefi  105  x  toa; 


lou 


PI?  8  6. 
lETR  A  SAf.D  A  di'ia  da!  Fondico  nccchfo.Maflarianoftra,  dee  dare  adi 
uicimo  Maggio /  a  Valerio  Leonimaf?aro.per  carrezzi ,  &  opet  c  da 
ItiihauucequcA'jnuccome  alfuo  iibro  faJdacod  accordodiHinca 

mcnte  apparc -^— ■ r car. 

.Er  pin/  alfEntrata  gcnccale di  qucHanno,  tiratogliper  foldo  di  que 
/lo  conco — — 'II       '    .■.. car. 


56  /  _.ji_.i7. 
69  X  --7JI— 15- 


.8onanU  X  -76^—11- 


:VS  DEDITapprelTola  Citri,  MafTaria  noftra,dee  dare  adi  ultimo 
MaggiO/aIl£ntratagcnfraIediqaeft'anao.tiratogUpcr  faldo  -car.  60  t-'SiO- 


•X'SOLANA  inuianuoua.MaiTarianoflra.decdare  adjidrfmo  Maggio  /H- 

I'Eotraagcmicaledi^ucil'aoDO^tiratognper'fiJdo   -  .. . .  .car.  60  X«-5P9* 


/ 


/ 


S.X€N  ATIO  in  Riua,Ronco  noftro,dcc  dare  adi  ultimo  Maggio  /all'Eo 

trata  gcneralediqueft'anno,  tiratogliper  faldo -car.  tfo  jf  -.it'f-.io- 


^AGAZINO  di  Liao,dcc  dare  adipr.  Giugno  / all'Iotroi 

todiqucfto, pcrreftoquiriratodacar.jd^.libroZcar.     l  pefi  jo  —  3!  — »oj  • 
,Etadii6.Giugno/aBadia,hauutogliqucftoanno,ftimato 

in  circa alprezzo^&quantica car.   i6  pcfi  75  —  /  —  <5»J. 


.Etadi  i^.Apriie/  aBadia,per  faldodiqucftocontofpet 


tanccaeflaCorte 


o  —  /   — IJO- 


pr.  17  pefi 

Sonuna  peH  10$—  x   102;  • 


101 


Mist  6. 
ONASTEROnoflro  del  gloriofo  Prccurforc  ,  e  dcgno  Mar  tire  di 

ChriftoS.Gio:  BattiftaaOriana,quaIe  noflro  Sig.per  fiu  diuinabo 

ta  fi  dcgni  diffcndcrc.c  profperare,dee  dare  adi  ptimo  Giugno  /  al- 

rintroitogcncralc  diqucft'anno.tiratogli  dacar,484.dcllibro  Z. 

dell'anno  paflato car.     i  gP  I70<5»— lo — j- 

i,  ,Etadi7.0ttobre  /  aCaflajConti  a  Delio Pefcatore ,  inpa^amento  di 

quantoreflauaadhauercperpcfcedaluihauutoqueftaquarefima 

paflatajcomepcrfualiftainfilza car.  j»  jf  •— pj— <i5 — 6- 

t  .Etpiu  /  aPrifcianQVolpc,4}reftodipanno,rafcia,etcledaluihauu 

cegliannipafTatijComeperrualiftainHlzaappare  diflinramcte^che 

perifcordononfi /criffcro car.  50  gf  —47—8 

T  St  pill  /  aCafla,conti  a  m.Bartholomeo  CaIcinato,in  uirtu  di  vna  fen 

tenza  delta  Ruota,peracqua  goducagiida  oonridi  Badiagliaiini 

patTatiidclIa  fua rata parte,comcappareneg]iacci dim. Andrea  Lo 

douicinotarodiftufamcnte car.  ^2  X  —ijj 

8  .Et  p'U  /  a  Santo  Squarcialupo,per  tanti  gli  douemo  pagatefra  otto 

mcfijin  uirtu  di  una  fen  tenzadellaRuota,vfcitanegliatti  del  detto 

notarojpcrriftoroditempellapatitarannoijga.cheenbcra  Affit 

tualcaS.Remigio,con  lefpcfc —car.  jo  X  — IJ5 — 10 — «— 

a  ,Et  adi  ultimo  Maggio  /a  F.Thomarofpenditorc,per  faldodifiiocon 

toqui  tirato,perfuariooccorfogliqueftoanno car.  jp  X  — o»— "it^ — i— 

10      O   .Etpiu  /  per Suariooccorfoqueft'annoneIbilancio,comcfiucde car.  jp  3f  — 4~''7 — *o  — 
,Et  piu  /  all'Efitogcneraledi  queft'anno,tiratogli  per  faldo  di  quefto 

conto — ^  car.  61  X  3744' — o — j— 


.Somma  X   $87° — o — J— 


102 


D1SS6.  59 

-  Ee  haucreadi  primoOttobre  /  perCafTa  .contone  dal  R.P.  F.Pietro 

Martire  daTurino  di S.  Domenico,p  rati  hauiiti  da  un  peniccte.in 

fodisfattione  di  vno  debito  fuo,che  noi fi  haueuamo  fcordaco-car.  31  JC  — ia7-«i5 — 8- 
>            .Et  piii  /  per  Riginaldo  Campione.per  la  Bofchetta  del  Vallone,datta 
gli  I'anno  pafTato  datagliare,  edapagarne  a  S.  Michele  profsimo 
paflatOjchcnonfifcriflepecifcordo car.  47  X  »— jo 

3  .Etpiii/perCaflajContonedaDoninoTurchinogianonroAffittualc, 

in  virtu  di  unaSentcradi  Ruora.per  lo  danno  da  lui  hauiico  in  arbo 
ri  tagliati,e  non  piantati  in  quel  tempo,  come  ne  gli  atti  di  m.  Vince 
zoRoflTo  notaro  apparediltintamcnte car.  ^a  jC  —146 

4  .Etpiu  /  perNaftagioCalandra,pertantinedceinuirtudi  una fen- 

tenza  del  Mag.  Podefta.  per  I'lnterrcflc  patito  in  uno  paro  di  caual- 
lidacarrozzauendutihe  per  fan i car.  47  jP  — 90 — 

10  .Etadi  ultimo  Maggio  /  per  D.Maurofecondo  Celleraro  ,  perfaldo 

del  fuoconto,nel  quale  cfeguitofuarioqucfto anno car.  S<S  X  — 1— tS — 4- 

11  O   .Etpiu/perCotrofcrittionedellaconfimile partita  per  contro,pofta 

pereflempio.eflendo  ilbilanciouero.ereale car.  59  X  4—^7—10— 

1»  .Etpiu  /perla Spcfagenerale,perfaldodi quel conto qui  tirato,  per 

quantos'efpefomenoquefto  anno  deU'Entrata  hauuta car.  60  t-   5448  —  'o —  5— 

■ ■  ■    »— « 

.Somma  gC  5870 — o — j— 


103 


1586. 
►  PESA  gcnerale  diqueft'anoo  ,  finito  adi  ultimo  Maggio,dee  dare.per  fal 

dodcgli  infrarcritticOnti,qui  tiraci,&ertiDti  dalle  loiopertitereo 

nieincfsieontidiflincameiiteappare  dot 

.Ordiiuria  in  danari — — car. 

.Cafciariaformaggiopefiioz.  car. 

.Magazmod'Ogliopcfi  i6Z 

.Forefteria 

.Forno,di  Farina  flara  4^8- 

.VinoconAimatOjCarra  JJ 

.Infermeria 

.Speticria 

.Straordinaria 

.Vellieria 

.Calzoleria — 

.Mutationi 
.Viaggi 


.Tafle,&  Annate 

.DatijjeGrauezze 

.Spefc  Capnolari 

•Caripleria — — 

.Libraria 

.Porti  di  letterc 

.Barbaria 

,Ma(reritie 

.Vtenfigli 

.Stalla 

•Fabrica 

.Reparation 

,Lici,e  Scritturc 

,Salariati — 

♦Limofine 

.Sagriftia 


.Acquifti  fatti 


Somma  #  2i^5o— ip^io— 


.Spefo meno  dell'Encrata di qiicft'anno,che fi  tira al  Monaft.  nro- car.  59  ^  5443  — 10 —  J- 

. . — — « 

.Somma  3?  ayiojj-^io — j— 


104 


;5  8<5-  ^o 

1.NTRATA  gcnerale  dfqueO'anno  finite  adi  ultimo Maggio ,  dee  hauere, 

per(aldodegrinfrafcrittiCoiiti  qui  tirati.&eilinti  dalle  loroparti 

te^comeinefsicontidirtintamcnteapparecioe 

.BadiadiS.EulgentioinCamerooe car.   17  t   4427-.19-10- 

.PrioratodiS.Rem»gio,CortenoltC  car.   i»  t    1805 — 9. —  j- 

.S.MaiiroMafraria,eCortenoftra car.   19  t    i6ir—  3 

.S.Martiri,Ma{raria,cCortenoftra  car.   19  ?  -179-14 — »- 

.Romea,Ma(rarianoftra — ^ car.  20  t    ioio-i8 

.Acquachiara.Mairaria  rioftra  car.  >o  ^    2925—11 

.S.Dionigi.Maflirianolka — car.   20  t  -747—10 


.Honorata.Maflarianoftra  car.  v>  t    195«8 

.PietraSalda.Maflarianortra car.  21  t.  -7JI— .IJ  — 
.Deusdedit,Maf^arianoft^a  car.  »t  ^  '616- 


Jfolaiia.Maflaria  noftra car.  »'»  t  -  5Po 

.S.Ignatio.Ronconoftro  car.  2.*"  t-  -124—10- 

.Malgherianoftra  — — car.  '*»  t  -  483  -  la-- 

.SocidadtBeftiami  car.  **  t  — ■  S> 

•Razza  di  Caualli — ■ -car.  **  5f  • — 68 

.TerraticiHiucrfi  tar.  »»  if  -a27--io- 

.Selue,cBofchi car.  »*  3?  -545 


.Molina  car.  »J  t    ii?57— ^5 

.Cenfi,cLiueni- — • — ^ car.  »3  t  -126—19—11- 

.FittidiCafe.eBortcghe  car.  »4  5f  -$80 — 4 

•HortodelN^naftcro ■ ' car.  *4  f-  — aai  — 18 

Aumenri  dil  comtnun  prezzo  ^ 

.CantinadiuinoinC^merone,  incarrajo.uenduto car.  *4  t  -444 

.Cantinadiuer{a,incarraio.u€nduto  car.  *5  t  — 84 — 3  —  4- 

.CantinailclMonaftcro,inearrai<f.uendato^- —car.   25  ^—118—12 

.Granaro1nCamerone,inttara  937  Frumentoucnduto  cir.   26  t-    1815—15 

.Granarodiuerft) ftara  478  — » ■■ —car.   26  f.    1074 -ly 

.GranarodelMonaftero    ftara  250  car.    27  -f.  —%%%>->\6 • 

;Gl-anaro  di Frumentata -  ftara  120  — , car.    27  t 

•Granarodi Scgala  ftara  618  car.    28  ^ 

•Cranaro  di  Migtio flara  36a ____ car.    28  ■f. 

.Granaro di Panigo  ftara  175  car.    28  f. 

.GranarO  di  f aua —  ftara  ipg . car.   29  / 

.Granaro'diLegumi  ftara     15  car.   29  jf 

.Granaro  di  Melega ftara  ijo car.    29  ^ 

.Granaro  d'Orgio  ftara    30  car.   30  ^ 


.Somtna  3^2710^-- 10 3 


105 


0) 


in< 


1  5  8<). 
SITO  gcnerale  dlqucft'anno ,  finito  adi  ultimo  Maggio^ee  dare,  peril 
ihfrafcritriercditidel  MonaQ?ro,quitirati  dai  coiicx loro, cioe 

.Quilico  Fed€le,efratclli^ • — ■ *af. 

,  .GerdianoLampridio  aJfittualc  car. 

.Eutitio  Lancjano  fornafaro -^ car. 

.Henrico  Lanfranco  malghcft  car. 

.Oberrol^filiTcomoIinaro car. 

.EtpiuFrumcnroflaraio.  car. 

.DemetrioConicAabjlemaCTaro car, 

.ValerioLeonimaflaro  car. 

.VittoriOjcCortcfc  Palladiniroaflari car. 

.KinaldoSanfonemaflaro  car. 

.Temiftio  Solimano  maffaro — — — car. 

.Dante  Congiurato  barbcro  car, 

Incrsigibi!i,&  a  lungo  tempo 

.MarcoTulHoVillanuouajjia  affittuale car* 

ipaufto  Giouiale  gia  maflaro  car. 

.Innoccntio  Maiorano  gia  fattore ■- — — -  car. 

•LsontioManfredigia  molinaro  car, 

Reftanti  di  queftoapno 

.Cafciaria  formaggio.pcr  ufo pcfi 

.Canrinadi  Camcronc,per  ufo — carra 

.Cannnadiuerfa,perufQ carra 

.CantinadelMonaftcro,  perufo-^carra 
.Granaro  di  Cameronc,per  ufo ftar^ 

.Dauenderc ftara 

.Granaro  diuerfo.per  ufo ftara 

.Granaro  del  Monaftercpcr  ufo — ftar^ 

.Dauendcre ftara  150  a  ;?  4. 10 

.Granaro diVcna,eSpelt3 ftara    jo  a  ^  i 

.Caffa  in  contanti — — • 


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ET  580  6r 

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infrarcritridebitidcI\fonanero,qui  riratidaicontiloro.cioe 

m.  .BartholoSaladinoin  Vincgia.aCenfoA  joo. car.  46 

m.  .AquilaGradiro  affictnalejcontodi  tempo  car.  j» 

R.D.CIemcntcAIcnino.'iro Curat*— car.  43 

.FabritioGallonoftrofatrore  car.  57 

.DelfinoCommodocamparo— — ■— car.  58 

.AnDibalcGermanoreruidore  cat.  53 


•Monaflero  noAro  refia  io  credico^come  Huedc- 


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(^  


MAINARDI'S  JOURNAL  REPRODUCED 

lu  1632  there  appeared  in  Bologua  a  work  ou  bookkeeping,  written  by  Matteo  ^laiuardi.  Tiiis  book 
is  of  far  later  date  than  the  ones  heretofore  mentioned,  but  as  explained  in  the  liistorical  chapter  it  is 
remarkal)le  in  that  it  attempts  to  deseril)e.  besides  tlie  system  for  the  merchants,  one  for  the  keeping  of 
executors'  and  trustees'  accounts.     It  follows  Pietra  and  jManzoni  closely  in  a  good  nmny  instances. 

The  illustrations  have  small  value  for  us  except  to  indicate  the  little  progress  that  was  made  in 
Italy  with  the  shifting  of  the  center  of  trade  from  Italy  to  Holland,  as  Simon  Stevin's  book  herein- 
after reproduced,  which  was  published  in  1604  in  Holland,  was  far  in  advance  of  tliis  of  Mainardi's. 
V.'e  reproduce  the  title  page  of  the  second  edition  of  this  hook,  and  a  page  which  explains  the  purpose 
of  the  tiook  as  far  as  trustees'  and  executoi-s'  accounts  are  concerned.  The  two  pages  of  the  journal 
we  give  in  order  to  show  that  each  page  is  provided  with  the  address  to  the  Deity,  that  the  dot  is  iised 
for  checking,  and  that  we  here  find  so-called  coml)ination  journal  entries,  by  whicli  we  mean  entries 
in  which  are  combined  more  than  one  credit  or  more  than  one  debit  in  one  entry.  We  do 
not,  however,  find  the  use  of  the  v.-ord  "sundries,"  as  in  Stevin's  work  and  as  we  use  it  to  this  day.  It 
will  he  noted  tliat  iu  Kuch  entries  the  deljits  nre  always  named  first  an<l  itemizcil  hefoi-e  the  credits  are 
enumerated,  and  that  the  division  between  debits  and  credits  is  made  with  two  horizontal  lines  or 
dashes,  one  below  the  last  debit  and  one  above  the  first  credit.  We  also  noti'  the  absence  of  the  money 
signs,  except  the  principal  or  tlie  lire  sign. 


107 


I  L   C  A  M  BIO 

R  E  A  L  E 

PER 

OGNl    PIAZZA. 

FormaJmente  Ragguagliato 

D    A 

MATTEO  MAINARDI. 

Con  diuerfi  altri  Quefiti  vtili ,  curiofi ,  e  neceHarij 

alia  Mercatura 

h  tjue/la  moua  Impreffiane  4ggiantoiti  il  mode, 
cbe  houidi  fi  fratica , 


IN  BOLOGNA,       M.  D.  CC 


Per  il  Longhi,  Con  l$cenz,4  tU^  Superim, 


108 


M.  DC.  XXXIV. 

Laude,  e gloria dellaSatitifsima, &  Indiui- 
duaTrinita  Padre,  Figliuolo,  cSpirito 
Santo;  della  Gloriofifsima  Vergine  Maria, 
delli  Santi  Apoftoli  Pietro  ,9  Paolo ,  e  delli 
Santr  N.N.  noftri  Protettori ,  come  ancora 
dituttalaCorteCeleftiale.  Amen. 

Quefto  prefenteLibro  chiamatoGiornale.di  forma 
N. di carte N.copcrtodiN.di carte  num.  N.efegnato 
N.bdiRutigliohgliuolo  del  gia  Sig.  LeonidoFonga- 
rellipupillo,d'etad'anniN.&  erede  ( 6abinteftato,b 
tcftamentario )  del  fudetto  Sig  Leonido,  paflatoami- 
glior  vitali  i<$.Gennarodel  prefenteanno,fottola  tu- 
tdadiN.fopradel  quale, per  mano  di  N.  fara  notato 
regolatamente,  e  formalmente,  ogni  qualita  di  beni 
ftabili,  emobili,  beftiami,  debitor!,  ecrcdicori del  d. 
gia  Sig.  Leonido,  e  per  confeguenzahorafpettance  al 
medefimoSig.  Rutiglio  fuohgliuolo,  &  erede,  come 
fopra;  e  fuflceuentemente  cutce  Pentrace,^  e  fpefe, 
chefraPannoSguiteranno  in  quefta  eredita,  lequali 
partite  tutte  farannoleuate  da  quefto  Libro ,  e  portate 
per  mano  del  fudetto  N.fopra  vn  altro  Libro  chiamaco 
LibroMaeftro diforma,carta,coperta,  efegnocome 
quefto,  dicartenum.N.afuoi  appartati.luoghi,  con- 
forme  e  lo  ftile  Mercantile,  che  pcrbcftb  Pupillo(eper 
eifoil  Sig.N.fuoCommiftario  Tcftamentario)  intende^ 
che lifia data piena.  Si  indubitata fede ingiudicio,  e 

fuori . 

In  fede  di  che  Sec. 

So  N.  C^mwifArh  Tefl.  &<,  affertno tjtumtodifsp'i^^ 
lo  N.  Scriuano  aicettOy  e £iure  jtcanto  di  fopra . 

A  ClOR- 


109 


'^  1 


3© 


Laus  Deo,  &  B.  Virg.  Rofarij  M.  DC,  XXXIII, 
Adi  j  I.  Deccmbre  Sabbato, 


.  xo 


.  II 
.  iz 


II 

II 


8^ 
9 


_8^ 
9 


^fpefe  difuoco  Ur.  vimifeiyfo/.  trK  den.  due  quat.per  num.  ottocentoqimdici  Fa/ft  \ 

da  cauazzatura^e  num.  quattroam'ottamadue  dtfiteferbatipercafa.  /..C 

^credtti)  Fajp da  cauazzattrra  num.  8 1  j.  L.  20.   7. 6.  I 

^  cndito  Fajjt  di  vtte  num  48  2 .  ^.    y .  I  j .  8.  ■ 

I 


sA}t\  Mfiivnnit  ^c.  al  banco  /ir.^uattrocen(orre,fol.  tredici,  den.  qutittro  qnat  li por- 
ta il nojiro  Caneuaro  lontanti ,  retratti  fino a  queftogtornojudetto,  dt  FaJJi disci' 
rrnl/a  da  cauazzatura  venduti  a  minuto,  (t  bohgninifecte  la  cartca ,  e  ntimerofet- 
tcnnlla  di  ytte,  a  bologntni  trentadue  il  cento,  come/t  vedeper  vna  taglia  .         I.  ^405.  1  !•  4 
^credito  Fa/ft  da  cauazzatura  tncafa  num.  loooo.  £,.291.13.4 

^  crcdtto  Fajft  dt  nte  in  i  njn  num,  7000,  i.  1 1 2,     . 


26.  5.  2 


^  luca  Barhtni  no/iro  lauorapre  alia  Tofsffjpone  di  Tondi  lir,  (entodici(ifette  quat,  I 

cioelir.  cento  per  It  patti  in  denari  contanti ,  e  Ur.  diciafette  per  cor  be  quattro  \ 

dtOrzo  hauutopiu  meftfono  dal  no/fro  Fat  tore,  a  lir.  quattro,fol,  cinque  la  corha,  \ 

d'accordo.  t.Cii7. 

^  credtto  alia  'Pofsefstone  di  Tondi .  Z. .  1 00,  | 

^creditoOrzoa  Montoriocor.^.  /».    171  1 


Domemco  Manganeliono(no  :xuozzo.aiia  rojsejjtQne  (ti  neiioi  iir.  cemoquaram  1 
•v«<i,  fol.  ctnque  quat.  cio^  lir.  centouinti  per  li  patti ,  cbe  deue  pagare  in  denari  I 
lir.  vem'vnayfol.  $.per  cor  be  5.  d'orzo  bauuta  dal  Fattorc^  d'accardo.  !.[■; 


^  credno  alia  Tofsef stone  di  Bello. 

^  credito  a  Orzo  tngranaro  di  Montorio  corbe  5 


L.  120. 
L.    2 1.  J. 


jl  Liuio  Carboni ,  e  frateili  nojMmezznitioli  a  Mantoria  lir.  centofejsamutri ,  fol. 

due.,  den.  fei  quat.  cioh  lir.  cemoquaram  a  per  li  patti ,  cbe  paga  in  denari,  e  lir. 

venture,  ifol.  due,  dm.  fei  per  corbe  cinque,  e  meza  d'Orza  baunto,  d'accordo.     L.^iS^. 
U  credito  la  'Pofsejftone  di  Montorio  .  L.  1 40. 

s/i  credito  Orzo  a  Montorio  corbe  cinque,  e  meza  . 


3.  6 


140. 
/.,  23.  2.5, 


,J.Angelo Sufa nojiro Suozza ^ Romanellalir  centoquarantatre ,fol, due ,  den. fei \ 

quat.  cio^  lir.  centouenti  per  li  patti  cbe  paga  in  danari ,  e  lir.  vintitre  ^[qI.  died,  \ 

den.  fei  per  corbe  cinque, e  meza  d' Orzo  hauuto,  d'accordo,  piudlfom.  £.(,143,  2.  6 

.A  credtto  la  Tofejfione  di  Ramanello .  Z..  1 20.  I 

^credito  Orzo  in granarodi  Montorio  corbe  tinqne.e  meza.       L.    23.2.6,  1 

^Mt- 


110 


Laus  Deo,  5c  B.  Virg.  Rofari j  M.  DC.  XXXIII. 


31 


9 

lO 


)  Adl^ifDccembreSabbaco, 

'  i__ 

^  Micbik  landinelli  noflro  hracente  a  Romanello  lir,  vintimue ,  c/ot*  lir.  vinti  per  J 

lapigione della  cafa, e Itr.  none quat.per  corhe due, quar. due d orzo,  bamto piU* 

gioriufonodal  Fattore,d' accordo.  i-C  ^^'  *~" 

,AcreditoLmgodi  Romanello,  £i20.  | 

sAcreditoOTzoingTimarocoT.z.qt*ar.2.  L.  g,         I 

. I 

*^fpefe  d'Elemo/ine  lir,  cen(onorjanta,fol.otto,quat.difpenfate  il  Hat  ale  pajfato  a  di- 1 
uerfi  Lmgbi  TtJ,  &  apoueri  della  nojlr^  7arockfa,per  Panima  del  Sig.  Leonido, ' 
pernoidalli Mannim^&c.  /,.r?9°'  «•"" 


w4credUo  alii  Mannini,  ^c.  al  banco , 


12 


14 


.^  C  anape  grezzo  in  Fill  a  lit-  (irjque(emofe(fan(anoue,fol,  quattordiu  qnat.per  va- 1 

Ilnta  di  lib.  duemillaottQcentoquaram'  om,  e  meza  di  Canape ,  bat/Hta  dalli  no/lri\ 
lauoratori , della  fua partCt  apprezzata  fenz,a pregiiidiciQ  He.  vinti  it  cento .     L,  f  5^9*  ^4'  "* 
I  .^credito  Luca  Barbini per  lib.  j  37.  e  meza.  L,  107*  1°.  ( 

-i—  I KAcredito Damenica  Manganelh per lib.yii,  ^.142,4,  I 

7    I  ^credito  Ltuio  Carboni per  lib.  837.  e  meza.  Z..  1 67.  i  o.  | 

7_  I <Acredito .Angela Sufa,per lib.  61 2. e meza .  JL.  1 2 2 .  i o«  1 

7     l^credito Mcbele Landinelli Itb.  1^0.    ■  Z.   3o»  ! 

-. ^^1 

^fpefe  di  reparatwni,  efahriche  hr.  censotrentanoue^fol.  fei,  den.  otto.  quat.  pagan  ( 
per  mandata  queft^ giornafudetta  a  M.  N.  nojlro  QapeUetto,  e  fona ,  (ioi  lir.  an- 1 
quanta  per  la  fua  annua  promfwne  di  coprire ,  erinedere  tutte  h  nojire  caje  di  j 
yUla,  e  di  Citta,  e  ilreftoperjpefe,  cbe  da  canto  hatterefano  tn  rifarcire  le  cafe  di  1 
ytlla,  (ome  dt  tutta  ne  appare  HJia  in  filza  dipiitfomma,  per  mandata  daUt  Man- } 
nini^&e.al banco.  i.t   139'^'  8 

^  credm  It  Mannini,  d'c.  al  banco .  I 

. .. f 

^Alla  Tofejfione  dt  Tondi  lir.fettantafette ,  fol.  otto^  den  8.  quat.  ft  [anno  buoni  a  M. ' 
j  Sabodmo  Tazaglia  di  Mal'albergo,  efono  per  fei  nauate  dijlramo  ,  mandatoci  li  j 
i      mefi pafati,comprefoui le condotte,cos)d'(iccordoinfieme.  L.^  77,  8.  $ 

g    I  ^4lla  Tolfefftone  dt  Bella  lir./ettantafettetfal.  otto ,  den.  otto  quat.  buom  aljudetto,  co- 1 
*— — '•      mefopra,perfet nauate dijlramo da letto, came fopradetto.  L.C  77,    8,   S 

,     I  ^lla  Tojfejftone  di  Montorio  lir.  centactnque,fol.  trcdiciper  otto  nauate  di  Jframa  da  I 
!—— .1      lettomandatoliilfudettQ^comefopra.  ^-f- loj.lj.  •• 

.    8      .Alia  'Pojfejfione  di  Romanella  lir.  centocinque^fol,  tredici  quat,  buoni  al  fudetto  per ' 
-       'I      altre otto nauats di/lrjmo da  letto bauute^come fopra,  ■t'^  I05.  J3.  •-» 

,14!  ^ credm  Sabadino  Ta zagiia  Hr.  3  66.  3 , 4,  j 


111 


€nDe  bty^ijs  Dct;  looffelijicfeet^Conaen  nes 
^z^mbotms/^mnt  3Kefemmgl)e  te  IjouDme 
naeDieJtauaenfcljcmaniere/allmCoopUe 
Den/lRcutjuee(tere^/XoUenaten/:a(rtemce 
fterett/5'eec  nut  enne  p;tofptelijicft  :3Jttfojme^ 
rrmue  emeu  r^gDelijcifem/  !)oe  lji>  severe  mue 
perfecte3aefeettmc^e  l)ouiienfal  met  Dobbel 
boecUennaeDetmanicren^oo^^^tiaaetDuet: 
elck  b^  l)em  feluen  itcl) telijcfe  in  alien  fiuen  fa 
femenaffairi  grootecjrpegienttectigl)enfaU 

C  d^ljetranaateert  met  grooter  btltijemien/ 

Xbt  Die 3taliaenfcl)e  tale  in  mkti^mm 

h\xtt3mmiPvn€i^iiito^M(M^tt 

memo;jiett)  Coopmattt)att:^ntSber^ 

)^tni€nt)tn\x  m  Uefben  en  p?of^ 

*  tenes  g!)emei>nen  ibeluaetts 

m(t  ibtcftegeuenutt  3lae^; 


timctnWpiot  hl^ct  lip  t^tt  €xfptm  nan  Dte 


112 


NOTES  ON  YMPYN 

We  are  reproduciug  herewith  the  title  page  of  Ympyn's  book,  which  we  have  taken  from  Kheil's  book, 
where  a  thorough  comparative  study  is  made  between  Ympyu  and  Pacioli.  Ympyn,  as  we  have  seen,  was 
the  first  Dutch  writer  who  practically  translated  Pacioli  into  Dutch,  French  and  English,  and  from  him 
continental  Eui'ope  has  derived  its  subsequent  texts  on  bookkeeping.  The  original  of  this  book  was  not 
available  to  the  writer,  but  we  have  taken  from  Kheil's  book  the  most  important  subject-matters  which  we 
review  in  the  following  lines : 

Ympyn,  as  stated  heretofore,  copied  Pacioli  practically  verbatim.  We  find,  however,  here  and  there  a 
few  deviations  which  we  think  it  important  to  mention  at  this  place. 

Pacioli  speaks  about  the  two  divisions  of  his  book,  one  covering  inventory  and  the  other  "disposi- 
tion." lie  is  somewhat  vague  in  explaining  this  latter  term.  Ympyn  says  that  "disposition"  is  "the 
establisliment,  systematizing  and  execution  of  the  current  and  customary  as  -well  as  the  extraordinary  af- 
fairs of  a  business. 

Ympyn  suggests  that  the  index  should  be  bound  in  parchment  and  placed  either  at  the  begiiniing  or 
the  end  of  the  ledger,  but  in  such  a  manner  that  it  can  be  taken  out  if  necessary.  He  uses  the  Italian 
terms  "Per"  and  "A"  unti-anslated.  In  front  of  corrective  ledger  entries  he  uses  a  cross  and  does  not 
mention  any  other  distinguishing  marks.  The  term  "cash"  is  personified  to  cashier  instead  of  pocket 
book,  as  used  by  Pacioli.  He  enlarges  on  the  terms  "Cash"  and  "Capital"  more  than  Pacioli  does.  For 
branch  stores  the  sales  are  entered  into  a  sales  journal,  and  totaled  once  a  week  for  transfer  to  the  ledger. 
Ympyn  is  more  extensive  in  his  explanations  than  Pacioli  about  barrato  or  trade,  also  about  the  draft  and 
its  use.  We  should  remember,  however,  that  Pacioli  describes  these  more  fully  in  the  parts  of  his  book 
not  covered  by  the  subject  of  bookkeeping. 

Ympyn  recommends  a  separate  book  for  household  expenses,  and  a  petty  expense  book  for  the  small  ex- 
penses of  the  business.  The  totals  are  transferred  from  these  books  to  the  journal  once  a  month.  He  men- 
tions a  special  cash  book  for  special  kinds  of  species  or  for  foreign  money  which  is  handled  by  the  firm, 
very  mxich  as  some  banks  today  use  a  separate  account  with  bank  notes  of  large  denominations.  He  ad- 
vocates the  use  of  separate  books  for  statistics,  or  memoranda,  in  the  nature  of  diaries;  and  suggests  a 
shipping  book.  As  to  accounts,  he  mentions  interest,  building  rents,  ground  rents,  expenses,  household 
expenses,  merchandise  expenses,  building  repair,  garden  expenses,  salaries,  loans,  expenses  of  childbirths 
and  an  account  for  marriage  gifts. 

Like  Pacioli  and  Manzoni,  Ympyn  uses  a  profit  and  loss  account,  very  much  the  same  as  we  do  today. 
He  also  draws  off  a  balance  to  prove  the  correctness  of  the  ledger.  Ympjoi,  however,  puts  the  balance  at 
the  end  of  the  ledger  as  an  account,  although  he  does  not  explain  it  as  such  in  his  text ;  in  this  he  does  not 
follow  Pacioli.  He  balances  the  profit  and  loss  account  to  capital  account  without  passing  it  through  the 
journal. 

Ympyn  specifically  mentions  that  merchandise  must  be  inventoried  at  cost  and  he  uses  a  merchandise 
inventory  account,  to  which  all  accounts  showing  an  inventory  of  merchandise  or  goods  on  hand  are  closed 
and  then  this  account  in  turn  is  closed  to  the  balance  account.  He  does  not  journalize  these  entries.  How- 
ever, we  find  that  he  does  journalize  his  profit  and  loss  items,  as  does  Manzoni,  but  which  Pacioli  does  not  do. 
Assets  in  the  balance  account  are  put  on  the  credit  side  and  liabilities  on  the  debit  side.  He  uses  no 
opening  balance  account  in  the  new  ledger,  but  evidently  posts  from  the  old  balance  account  in  the  old 
ledger  in  reverse  order  to  the  new  ledger,  because  the  closing  balance  account  in  the  old  ledger  gives  the 
folios  to  which  the  items  are  posted  in  the  new  ledger.  We  have  seen  that  Pacioli  says  that  you  can  trans- 
fer the  capital  account  either  as  a  balance  in  one  item,  or  itemized ;  the  latter  having  the  advantage  of 
then  representing  a  summary  of  the  inventory,  and  each  new  ledger  then  starts  with  an  inventory. 

The  journal,  profit  and  loss,  capital,  and  balance  accounts  illustrated  by  Ymp^-n  are  printed  in  Kheil's 
German  review  of  Ympyn,  bTit  we  regret  that  he  did  not  reproduce  them  actually,  as  with  th(^  modern 
printing  much  of  the  form  and  arrangement  is  lost. 

Ympyn  permits  no  erasures.  He  wishes  a  line  drawn  through  the  wrong  amount  or  words  the  same 
as  Pacioli  does,  in  order  to  be  able  to  prove  of  what  the  error  consisted.  He  insists  that  explanations  to 
the  journal  entries  must  be  so  clear  that  anybody  can  understand  the  transactions  they  record ;  that  books 
kept  in  the  Italian  manner  as  described  by  him,  with  a  journal  and  a  ledger,  "make  everything  as  clear  as 
daylight  and  will  prevent  swindles  and  defalcations,  as  occur  now  so  frequently  and  almost  daily." 

He  adds  the  freight  to  the  merchandise  and  posts  it  to  the  merchandise  account.  He  deprecates  trad- 
ing on  long  credit,  and  announces  it  as  bad  because  "the  wolf  does  not  eat  any  days  and  the  due  date 
comes  nearer  not  only  by  day  but  as  well  by  night. ' ' 

The  two  diagonal  lines  of  which  Pacioli  speaks,  are  used  in  the  journal  when  the  posting  is  finished 
and  in  the  ledger  when  the  account  is  closed  or  transferred  to  the  new  ledger.  Capital  account  Ymypn 
credits  wdth  the  assets  and  debits  with  the  liabilities,  which  agrees  with  the  idea  of  the  personifying  of 
accounts  and  results  in  a  net  credit  in  this  accovmt,  which  net  credit  is  the  same  as  we  use  in  the  capital 
account  to  this  daJ^  Ympyn  uses  no  ledger  headings  and  shows  but  one  cohnnn  in  the  journal.  He  uses 
Roman  figiires  in  all  money  columns,  both  ledger  and  journal. 


113 


STEVIN'S  JOURNAL  ANDLEDGER   REPRODUCED 

The  following  pages,  Nos.  119  to  136,  represent  reproductions  of  the  journal  and  ledger  and  other 
interesting  forms  as  given  in  the  book  of  Simon  Stevin,  which  appeared  in  the  Dutch  language  in  Am- 
sterdam in  1604,  was  rewritten  in  The  Hague  in  1607,  republished  in  Latin  in  1608,  and  republished  by 
Stevin 's  sou  Hendrick  in  1650.  As  we  have  seen,  Stevin  was  a  tutor  and  adviser  of  Prince  Maurits  of 
Orange,  then  Governor  of  some  of  the  Dutch  provinces.  Stevin  first  taught  the  Prince  bookkeeping  and 
then  induced  him  to  install  a  double-entry  system  of  bookkeeping  throughout  his  domains  and  government 
establishments. 

Stevin  apologizes  for  the  use  of  terms  in  foreign  languages,  such  as  debit,  credit,  debitor,  creditor, 
balance,  journal,  finance,  etc.,  but  says  they  are  necessary  because  if  he  used  Dutch  terms  the  bookkeepers 
would  not  understand  what  he  was  writing  about,  and  as  bookkeepers  only  are  supposed  to  profit  by  the 
regulations  promulgated  and  ordered  by  Maurits,  the  Prince  of  Orange,  for  the  double-entry  municipal  ac- 
counting system,  he  insists  that  he  must  use  the  foreign  terms. 

The  objection  of  the  Prince  that  government  clerks  would  not  understand  Italian  or  double-entry  book- 
keeping, he  overcomes  by  advising  that  he  could  hire  and  should  hire  clerks  who  did  know  it,  for  they  un- 
doubtedly would  be  better  men. 

The  objections  to  the  necessity  of  double-entry  bookkeeping  for  municipalities  and  governments  he  rea- 
sons away  by  stating  that  a  merchant  has  some  direct  personal  supervision  over  his  bookkeepers  and  cash- 
iers, but  the  government  must  direct  them  through  other  persons.  As  this  is  not  as  safe  as  the  merchant's 
personal  supervision,  it  follows  that  if  a  merchant  needs  double-entry  bookkeeping  and  finds  it  profitable, 
the  government  needs  it  that  much  more. 

Stevin  does  not  give  rules  for  the  making  of  journal  entries,  but  he  explains  a  difficulty  which  the 
Prince  evidently  met,  when  the  latter  asks:  "If  Peter  pays  me  $100,  there  are  two  debits  and  two  credits: 
I  am  his  debtor  and  my  cash  is  also  a  debtor ;  he  is  my  creditor  and  liis  cash  is  also  a  creditor.  "Which  two 
of  these  four  must  I  select  for  my  books  ? ' '  Stevin  answers :  ' '  Take  always  my  creditor  and  my  debtor 
because  Peter  keeps  books  with  his  creditor  and  his  debtor." 

Stevin  urges  upon  the  Prince  that  governmental  treasurers  invariably  become  rich,  and  when  they  die 
leave  such  a  muddled  state  of  affairs  and  records  that  there  is  nothing  left  but  to  forgive  and  forget,  but 
that  such  is  not  the  case  with  bookkeepers  and  cashiers  of  mercantile  establishments ;  they  invariably  die 
poor.  A  merchant,  he  says,  knows  what  his  bookkeeper  or  his  cashier  or  treasurer  should  have,  but  this 
is  not  so  with  a  Prince,  who  has  to  take  the  cashier's  word  for  it. 

The  Prince  then  asks  if  bookkeeping  ever  had  been  worthy  of  such  consideration  that  books  were  pub- 
lished on  it.  Stevin  replied  that  numerous  writers  had  taken  up  the  subject,  and  that  while  doubtless  the 
double-entry  system  was  originated  in  olden  times,  yet  in  Italy  where  it  is  said  to  have  been  executed  first, 
it  is  considered  an  art  of  which  no  other  is  so  honorable  and  worthy. 

The  Prince  (apparently  floored  by  Stevin 's  lucid  arguments)  thereupon  agrees  to  take  up  the  study 
with  the  view  of  installing  double-entry  bookkeeping  in  the  governmental  departments  as  soon  as  Stevin 
and  he  were  through  with  their  studies  of  algebra. 

Stevin  has  a  firm  place  in  tlie  heart  of  the  writer,  because  he  mentions  in  his  book  that  one  of  his  for- 
bears was  a  treasurer  of  the  city  of  Flissingen,  thus  supplying  the  missing  data  for  the  genealogy  of 
his  family. 

Comparison  of  the  journal  and  the  ledger  with  the  reproductions  of  the  Italian  writers  heretofore 
given,  will  at  once  show  that  in  printing  as  well  as  in  arrangement  the  Dutch  were  far  superior  to  the 
Italian.  A  comparison  with  Pietra  and  Mainardi  will  make  this  very  plain.  The  examples  must  be  pro- 
noup.ced  as  being  excellent  for  their  time.  The  journal  entries  are  differently  grouped  than  has  been  done 
by  any  previous  writers,  very  much  more  systematic,  and  in  many  instances  only  totals  from  other  records 
are  used. 

It  will  be  noted  that  all  religious  terms  at  the  top  of  pages  or  at  the  beginning  of  books,  customarily 
used  in  the  Italian  method,  have  been  omitted.  The  slightest  reference  to  the  Deity  is  absent  in  these 
books,  due  to  the  fight  for  religious  freedom  which  then  waged  in  Holland.  Stevin  was  a  great  supporter 
of  the  Protestant  party,  so  much  so  that  Brown  relates  that  when  in  1645  a  proposal  was  made  to  erect  a 
statue  at  Bruges  to  liis  memory,  a  Catholic  agitation  was  aroused  in  the  House  of  Representatives  to  de- 
feat the  project.  Even  a  clerical  editor  expunged  his  name  from  a  Dutch  dictionary  of  biography,  where 
it  had  appeared  in  earlier  edition.s.  However  that  may  be,  the  writer  having  been  born  in  Holland  and 
there  having  kept  numerous  sets  of  books,  can  vouch  that  twenty  years  ago  the  majority  of  books  which 
came  under  his  supervision  were  opened  and  closed  in  the  name  of  the  Diety. 

Stevin 's  omission  of  the  use  of  religious  terms  was  folloM'ed  in  England,  whereas  Europe  to  this  day 
follows  Ympyu  and  others,  which  is  corroborating  evidence  that  Stevin  through  Dafforne  has  influenced 
English  and  American  bookkeeping  more  than  has  Mellis,  who  followed  Pacioli  in  the  use  of  religious  terms. 

Through  a  peculiar  coincidence  the  use  of  the  terms  "pepper"  and  "ginger"  appear  as  frequently  in 
his  illustrations  and  examples,  as  they  do  in  those  of  the  Italian  and  other  previous  ^Titers. 

Stevin  personifies  the  impersonal  or  economic  accounts  when  he  states  that  cash  account  is  an  account 
with  the  cashier  and  follows  this  idea  throughoiit  his  work  in   connection   with   other  accounts.     He   men- 

114 


tious  the  three  methods  of  buying  and  selling  theretofore  described  bj-  the  Italians,  namely,  on  account, 
for  cash,  and  in  trade,  and  the  combinations  that  can  be  made  with  these  three.  Like  liis  predecessors,  he 
states  that  in  the  beginning  of  every  book  two  entries  are  necessary,  wliich  sliould  cover  mereliaiidise,  and 
cash  on  hand,  as  also  the  debts  owing  and  accounts  owning,  and  like  Pacioli  and  Ympyn  he  explains  fully 
that  sometimes  a  business  can  be  started  on  credit  but  he  doubts  the  advisability. 

Stevin  is  the  first  to  use  the  system  of  controlling  accounts,  and  as  shown  in  the  first  page  herewith  re- 
produced, in  the  second  line  after  the  table,  the  same  name  for  tiiese  accounts  is  retained  today,  lie  uses 
the  word  ""coiitrcrole,"  wliicli  comes  from  the  French  "controler,"  which  in  turn  comes  from  the  Iwo  Latin 
words  "'contra"  and  "rotulus"  (our  roll)  and  "'rota"  (our  wheel).  The  definition  of  the  word  "con- 
trol" is  "to  check  by  a  duplicate  register"  or  "verify  an  account."  The  total  of  his  controlling  account 
was  obtained  from  the  detailed  monthly  reports  from  the  sub-treasurers  or  casliiers  of  the  various  places 
and  departments,  and  were  posted  to  these  controlling  accounts  through  the  medium  of  journal  entries. 
From  these  accounts  tables  were  compiled  showing  the  delinquencies  for  each  year  of  each  sub-treasury  or 
of  each  place.  He  describes  that  an  endless  variety  of  these  tables  may  be  made  in  order  to  show  the  true 
status  of  the  various  operations  at  various  places.  He  also  states  that  if  no  tables  are  desired,  then  there 
should  be  a  separate  account  for  each  column  in  these  tables,  and  especially  for  each  year.  The  table  re- 
produced shows  how  particular  and  careful  he  was  on  this  subject. 

The  ledger  shows  both  the  page  of  the  journal  and  the  page  upon  which  the  otiier  part  of  tiie  double- 
entry  appears  in  the  ledger.  This  is  one  of  the  first  writers  who  enters  the  journal  pages  in  the  ledger. 
The  pages  of  the  journal  are,  however,  put  in  the  margin,  on  the  left  of  the  date  in  the  ledger  and  not 
directly  to  the  left  of  the  amount,  as  we  are  accustomed  to  do  at  the  present  time.  The  explanations  in 
the  ledger  will  appear  to  you  to  be  shorter  and  clearer  and  more  to  the  point  as  to  relevancy  than  was 
customary  in  the  Italian  method.  It  should  also  be  noted  that  the  term  "per"  is  used  on  both  sides  of  the 
ledger.  Stevin  says  that  many  bookkeepers  use  "a"  on  the  debit  side  where  he  uses  "per."  lie  sug- 
gests that  his  method  is  more  reasonable,  as  can  be  learned  by  translating  the  entry  in  an  ordinary  sen- 
tence; thus,  which  is  better  language?  "Peter  is  debit  to  me  'for'  ('per')  pepper  sold  to  him,"  or  "Peter 
is  debtor  to  me  'to'  ('a')  pepper  sold  to  him."  He  then  states  that  it  is  not  a  matter  of  importance,  that 
his  readers  can  do  as  they  like,  but  he  wishes  them  to  follow  the  better  sentence. 

In  the  journal  he  does  not  use  the  expression  "per"  before  the  debitor,  nor  "a"  before  the  creditor, 
nor  does  he  divide  them  with  the  two  slanting  lines  //  as  do  Pacioli,  Manzoni,  Pietra  and  Ympyn.  Stevin 
simply  used  "debit  per"  between  the  names  of  the  debtor  and  creditor  thus  coming  closer  to  our  present 
form  of  journal  entry. 

It  is  difficult  to  state  what  the  two  diagonal  lines  (//)  between  the  debits  and  credits  mean. 

In  the  chapter  entitled  ' '  Discursion  in  Theory ' '  there  has  been  set  forth  in  detail  Stevin 's  theory  of  a 
double  entry  with  two  debits  and  two  credits,  thus  carrying  the  transaction  through  the  proi^rietor's  ac- 
count but  eliminating  the  same  by  algebraic  formula. 

The  late  Joseph  Hardcastle,  C.P.A.,  of  New  York,  in  1903,  in  his  "Accounts  of  Executors  and  Trus- 
tees," chapter  on  "The  Personalistic  Theory,"  very  plainly  sets  forth  the  same  idea  elucidated  by  Stevin. 
He  even  goes  so  far  as  to  state  that  Pacioli  (he  spells  it  with  an  "i")  and  Manzoni  used  the  slanting  lines 
between  debits  and  credits  to  indicate  the  omission  of  the  word  "proprietor"  twice. 

Stevin  explains  that  Roman  figures  in  the  ledger  are  not  needed  because  they  are  never  used  in  the 
journal,  which  is  a  book  of  more  importance,  and  if  they  are  not  put  in  the  book  of  more  importance  why 
should  we  put  them  in  the  book  of  less  importance?  He  explains  (as  does  Pacioli)  that  the  ledger  is  not 
important  because  if  the  ledger  is  lost  it  can  be  written  up  entirely  from  the  journal,  whereas  the  reverse 
is  not  true,  because  the  detail  which  the  journal  contains  is  lacking  in  the  ledger.  He  further  states  that 
in  the  Italian  books  Roman  figures  are  not  used  in  the  day  book. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  each  page  of  the  ledger  has  a  consecutive  number  (not  as  we  number  by  giving 
two  pages,  the  debit  and  the  credit,  one  and  the  same  number).  Stevin  explains  that  this  is  better  be- 
cause then  all  your  debit  pages  will  be  uneven  and  the  credit  pages  will  be  even  numbers,  which  will  aid  in 
checking  if  an  error  is  made  in  putting  the  little  dividing  line  between  figures  representing  the  pages  of 
the  debit  and  the  credit  in  the  journal,  as  is  customary  in  the  Italian  method.  The  fact  that  but  one  col- 
umn is  used  in  the  journal,  makes  this  little  dividing  line  between  the  figures  of  the  debit  postings  and 
those  of  the  credit  postings  very  important.  Stevin  further  explains  in  this  connection  that  it  is  still 
more  confusing  with  a  combination  journal  entry,  where  there  are  a  number  of  debits  and  but  one  credit, 
or  vice  versa,  when  the  word  "sundries"  is  used.  This  because  the  debit  of  a  combination  journal  entry 
comes  first,  and  thereafter  a  number  of  credits,  yet  the  total  of  the  journal  entry  (which  is  the  amount  for 
the  debit  entry),  stands  at  the  last  and  therefore  the  debit  is  posted  last,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  illustra- 
tion reproduced. 

Stevin  is  the  first  of  the  writers  mentioned  in  this  book  to  use  combination  journal  entries  with  the 
word  "sundries."  We  have  seen  that  Mainardi  has  combination  journal  entries  or  journal  entries  with 
more  than  one  debit  and  more  than  one  credit,  but  he  does  not  use  the  word  "sundries." 

In  the  ledger  it  will  be  noted  that  the  first  entries,  or  the  opening  balances  on  some  of  the  accounts, 
bear  the  date  of  "0  January."  The  use  of  the  cipher  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  he  says  is  absolutely 
necessary,  because  the  books  are  opened  on  neither  December  31st  nor  Jaiuiary  1st.  It  is  a  period  in  be- 
tween these  two.  He  explains  this  with  the  illustration  that  the  first  rung  is  not  the  beginning  of  the 
ladder. 

The  date  in  the  ledger  is  repeated  before  each  entry,  instead  of  following  the  Italian  method  of  using 

the  words  "a  di  detto,"  which  mean  "the day  of  the  above  month,"  because  he  saj-s  the  date  to  which 

"ditto"  refers  may  be  several  pages  back  and  therefore  hard  to  read  at  first  sight. 

11  r> 


Uulike  Pacioli,  Pietra  aud  Ympyii,  Stevin  uses  deliiiite  headings  for  his  ledger  accounts,  and  is  the 
first  one  to  use  the  terms  "debit"  and  "credit"  instead  of  "dee  dare"  and  "dee  haver e.''^  He  puts  the 
year  on  top  of  the  page,  aud  he  balances  his  ledger  accounts  by  making  a  sub-total.  Closing  entries  do 
not  go  through  the  journal.  Profit  and  loss  account  is  written  up  at  the  end  of  the  year,  and  also  at  the 
close  of  particular  transactions,  and  wliile  IStevin  does  not  give  a  trial  balance,  in  his  descriptions  he  speaks 
very  particularly  of  the  same,  and  describes  how  to  prepare  it.  While  in  his  illustration  he  credits  a  legacy 
to  the  profit  and  loss  account,  in  his  text  he  admonishes  the  reader  to  put  it  to  the  capital  account,  giving 
his  specific  reasons  for  it.  Cash  entries  are  journalized  in  daily  totals.  He  maintains  a  separate  cash 
book  in  which  the  receipts  are  put  on  the  debit  and  the  disbursements  on  the  credit,  the  same  as  they  would 
be  found  in  the  ledger  if  it  were  a  ledger  account.  He  also  explains  that  this  looks  as  if  it  were  double 
work  but  it  is  not,  as  it  is  not  the  bookkeeper's  work  to  keep  a  cash  book,  but  the  cashier's.  He  further 
argues  that  because  the  bookkeeper  is  sometimes  also  the  cashier,  that  fact  should  not  alter  the  rule.  He 
has  a  separate  cash  book  for  petty  expenses,  in  which  to  enter  small  items  which  are  posted  to  the  ledger 
only  once  a  month,  in  order  to  lessen  the  number  of  entries. 

About  the  reconcilement  of  differences  between  bookkeepers,  cashiers,  treasurers  and  others,  he  claims 
that  these  variations  are  due  to  the  different  closing  periods  of  accounts  and  reports  by  the  various  officials, 
and  requires  that  they  be  preserved  by  writing  their  full  detail  in  the  journal  and  making  a  reference  of 
the  same  on  the  ledger  account  affected.  Stevin  says  that  as  the  head  bookkeepers  through  these  recon- 
cilements would  discover  entries  which  belonged  to  a  period  previous  to  the  date  of  their  discovery  and 
their  entry  in  the  journal,  that  the  current  date  on  which  the  entry  is  made  in  the  journal  should  be  used 
in  that  book,  but  that  in  the  explanation  the  original  date  should  be  used  (we  now  use  "as  of  date"  so  and 
so) .  But  he  warns  his  readers  that  when  posting  these  entries  to  the  ledger,  the  original  date  and  not  the 
journal  entry  date  should  be  used.  He  advises  that  trial  balances  be  taken  in  February,  May,  August,  and 
November,  which  are  customary  mercantile  due  dates,  which  in  turn  will  lead  to  a  settlement  of  many 
accounts  and  will  make  this  work  easy  aud  light.  Furthermore,  it  will  give  data  aud  statistics  upon  which 
the  merchants  can  base  their  buying,  selling,  and  credit  budgets  for  the  future.  He  advises  that  the 
Italian  method  of  bookkeeping  is  so  adapted  to  expansion  that  whereas  before  but  one  bookkeeper  could  be 
employed,  under  the  double-entry  system  any  number  of  bookkeepers  can  be  used,  for,  if  the  work  becomes 
too  much  for  one  man  the  system  should  be  revised  so  as  to  i^rovide  for  controlling  accounts.  This  means 
to  post  in  totals  only,  so  that  one  sub-division  can  be  given  to  a  bookkeeper  to  be  controlled  by  one  head 
bookkeeper,  who  deals  in  totals  only. 

As  to  the  cash  book,  it  is  used  because  it  obviates  the  making  of  numerous  journal  entries  every  day, 
thus  shortening  the  work  greatly.  He  fully  illustrates  this,  and  transfers  the  totals  of  the  cash  book  to 
the  ledger  by  journal  entries,  preferably  monthly. 

Stevin  provides  a  double  column  in  the  ledger  account  for  merchandise.  In  one  of  these  he  puts  the 
weights  and  measures,  and  insists  that  they  be  balanced  also.  He  says  that  in  his  illustrations  he  made 
them  come  out  even,  although  he  admits  that  that  very  seldom  happens.  The  result,  however,  would  be 
the  same,  for  the  balance  to  be  carried  to  the  new  ledger  or  to  be  used  in  "the  statement  of  affairs"  would 
be  based  upon  the  weight,  aud  whatever  is  over  or  short,  as  far  as  weight  and  measure  is  concerned,  would 
automatically  adjust  itself  in  the  profit  and  loss. 

He  objects  to  the  name  of  ' '  memoriaV '  as  used  in  the  Latin  couutries  for  the  day  book,  stating  that 
''memorial"  is  a  book  of  memoranda  (things  to  be  remembered),  whereas  the  day  book  is  used  to  write  in 
roughly  the  daily  transactions  preparatory  to  journalizing  them.  This  he  calls  a  blotter.  He  draws  a 
line  between  each  journal  entry  from  one  side  of  the  book  to  the  other  side  of  the  book,  through  all  the 
standing  lines  and  columns.  He  explains  that  this  line  is  necessary,  because  some  entries  cover  several 
pages.  (How  we  accountants  wish  some  bookkeepers  would  make  journal  entries  with  explanations  pages 
long!) 

Stevin  says  it  is  customary  to  ascertain  once  a  year  what  the  profit  or  the  loss  of  the  business  has  been. 
This  is  what  he  calls  "balancing"  or  "making  a  statement  of  balance"  or  "ascertaining  of  capital."  For 
this  purpose,  he  advises  to  "add  together  cash  and  merchandise  on  hand  and  actual  accounts  receivable, 
deduct  therefrom  the  accounts  payable;  the  difference  is  net  capital  provided  the  accounts  receivable  are 
all  good.  The  difference  between  the  net  capital  of  last  year  and  this  year  is  the  profit  or  loss  for  the 
year."  According  to  Stevin,  the  making  of  a  statement  of  affairs  was  not  done  concurrently  with  the  clos- 
ing of  the  books,  the  latter  being  done  only  when  a  new  ledger  is  opened  or  where  the  merchant  retires 
from  business  or  dies. 

To  prove  his  profit  aud  loss  arrived  at  through  the  making  of  a  statement  of  affairs  as  above  explained, 
he  makes  up  a  profit  and  loss  account,  which  he  calls  ' '  proof  statement. ' '  Therefore,  his  profit  or  loss  is 
ascertained  first  from  the  balance  sheet,  and  in  order  to  prove  whether  that  is  correct,  he  builds  a  profit 
and  loss  accoiint.     How  few  modern  bookkeepers  and  young  accountants  understand  this  principle  today ! 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  reproduction  of  his  financial  statement  and  profit  and  loss  account,  that  the 
profit  and  loss  statement  is  just  as  it  would  appear  in  the  ledger  accoiint  if  these  entries  were  really  posted 
to  a  ledger  account  as  we  do  today.  The  balance  sheet  therefore  represents  an  unposted  journal  entry, 
whereas  the  profit  and  loss  account  shows  the  result  of  a  posted  journal  entry.  In  this  Stevin  is  of  course 
inconsistent. 

Stevin  makes  the  statement  of  affairs  a  mathematical  problem  rather  than  the  result  of  debits  and 
credits.  He  adds  and  subtracts,  but  does  not  reason  where  "proprietorship  begins  and  ends,"  as  he  does 
with  all  other  journal  entries.  Hence,  the  entries  comprising  the  closing  of  the  ledger  and  the  profit  and 
loss  account  should  not  be  in  the  journal  (he  reasons),  as  the  making  of  such  entries  is  only  done  when  pro- 
prietorship is  affected.  They  are  merely  the  bringing  together  to  a  conclusion  of  net  proprietorship  or 
net  capital. 

116 


He  further  explains  that  the  ledger  must  always  be  in  balauee  because  of  the  mathematical  rule  of 
"equal  amounts  added  to  equal  amounts  must  give  equal  totals." 

In  closing  the  ledger,  Steviu  transfers  the  balance  of  the  various  accounts  direct  to  other  accounts  in 
the  ledger  without  the  aid  of  journal  entries,  and  calls  it  often  "by  sloto"  the  Dutch,  and  sometimes  "per 
solde"  the  Italian  for  "in  order  to  close."  He  puts  his  assets  and  liabilities  into  the  capital  account,  and 
his  profit  and  losses  in  the  profit  and  loss  account.  He  Hually  closes  all  accounts  by  closing  the  profit  and 
loss  account  into  the  capital  account.  As  the  diffei'cuce  between  present  assets  and  liabilities  or  net  pro- 
prietorship must  be  equal  to  the  capital  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  plus  or  minus  the  current  profits  or 
losses,  the  entering  of  the  present  assets  and  liabilities  in  his  capital  account  is  an  unnecessary  duplica- 
tion, except  it  be  to  effect  a  closing  of  all  ledger  accounts  and  using  the  capital  account  for  this  piu-pose 
as  a  clearing  account. 

Steviu  explains  this  method  by  saying  that  other  writers,  and  especially  the  Dutch  writer  Bertholomi 
de  Rentergem,  have  in  the  rear  of  their  ledgers  a  "balance  account,"  (as  Pietra  and  Ympyn)  into  which 
they  close  their  ledger  accounts.  This,  IStevin  says,  is  built  from  a  journal  entry  made  in  the  old  journal. 
This  entry  is  also  posted  in  reverse  order  in  the  new  ledger  from  the  journal  entry  in  the  old  journal.  This 
method  Stevin  does  not  like.  He  says  these  writers  when  opening  their  first  journal  and  ledger,  in  tlie 
beginning  of  a  new  business,  start  with  an  inventory  (see  Pacioli  and  others),  but  in  subsequent  ledgers 
he  says  they  do  not  do  this,  and  there  they  call  it  a  balance  account.  Why  not  be  consistent,  he  pleads, 
and  open  each  subsequent  journal  and  ledger  with  an  inventory?  He  dislikes  the  balance  account  method 
evidently  so  very  much  that  he  wants  to  get  away  from  it  as  far  as  he  can,  and  thus  he  dumps  it  all  into 
the  capital  account,  because,  he  adds,  "the  result  is  exactly  the  same." 

Stevin  gives  an  exhaustive  chapter  about  the  settlement  of  partnership  affairs.  He  states  that  if  aU 
the  partners  are  active  and  were  conducting  a  portion  of  the  business  in  various  cities  on  the  principle  of 
branch  stores,  each  partner  should  keep  a  separate  set  of  books,  very  much  the  same  as  the  method  he  ex- 
plains for  consignments  or  traveling  agents,  and  at  headquarters  or  at  one  of  the  branches  there  should 
be  a  joint  bookkeeper,  whose  duty  it  is  to  deal  in  totals,  so  that  each  partner  may  know  where  he  stands  in 
relation  to  the  others.     If  only  one  partner  is  active,  this  partner  should  keep  the  books. 

He  learned  in  one  instance,  as  very  likely  modern  accoiuitauts  will  learn  from  time  to  time,  that  a 
good  merchant,  no  matter  how  illiterate  he  is  or  how  ignorant  he  may  be  about  bookkeeping,  usually  can 
tell  very  accurately  whether  the  accountant's  financial  statement  and  bookkeeping  results  are  correct. 
Stevin  was  called  in  to  adjust  the  affairs  between  a  number  of  partners,  of  a  large  partnership.  The  five 
active  partners  wei'e  residents  of  the  cities  of  Venice,  Augsburg,  Cologne,  Antwerp,  and  London,  where 
they  conducted  branch  establishments  of  the  firm.  One  of  these  partners  had  not  kept  any  books.  Stevin 
was  finally  induced  by  this  partner  to  visit  him  and  to  write  up  a  full  set  of  books  of  all  the  transactions 
of  the  partnership  which  he  could  find,  and  thus  ascertain  the  financial  settlement  between  the  partners. 
This  he  did,  after  considerable  labor.  The  particular  partner  who  had  kept  no  books,  however,  objected  to 
the  settlement,  because  it  was  £300  less  than  he  figured  was  coming  to  him.  To  prove  this,  he  stated  that 
they  had  no  assets  or  liabilities  of  any  kind,  having  liquidated  the  business ;  therefore  he  said :  "  If  I  de- 
duct my  disbursements  from  my  receipts,  and  add  to  the  balance  what  is  due  me  from  the  others,  the  total 
must  be  my  portion  of  the  profit. ' '  Steviu  agreed  with  him  that  this  was  right,  and  the  set  of  books  was 
discarded  and  a  settlement  made  upon  the  argument  of  the  partner  who  was  ignorant  as  far  as  bookkeep- 
ing was  concerned.  From  this  experience  Stevin  determined  upon  the  following  rule :  when  called  in  to 
make  a  partnership  settlement,  he  would  demand  three  things:  first,  the  amount  each  partner  has  re- 
ceived more  in  cash  than  he  paid,  or  what  he  paid  more  than  he  received ;  second,  the  diffei'ence  between 
presently  existing  accounts  receivable  and  accounts  payable,  to  which  he  added  the  cash  and  merchandise 
on  hand;  third,  what  the  agreement  was  between  the  partners  as  to  divisions  of  profits  and  losses.  He 
illustrates  the  application  of  this  rule  by  the  following  example : 

A  paid  more  than  he  received  by _ £2,000 

B  received  more  than  he  paid  by _ 4,000 

C  paid  more  than  he  received  by 3,000 

The  net  assets,  or  the  difference  between  accounts  receivable  and  payable,  added  to  the 
cash  and  merchandise  on  hand,  amounted  to £7,000 

Each  partner  was  to  receive  one-third  of  the  profits  or  stand  one-third  of  the  losses.  He  then  puts  up 
the  following  account : 

Partnership  Debit.  Partnership  Credit. 

Due  A £  2,000  Due  from  B £  4,000 

Due  C  3,000         Net  assets _ 7,000 


Total  due  A  and  C £  5,000  £11,000 

Net  profit 6,000 

Total  £11,000 


117 


As  of  above  profit  oue-third  is  due  to  each  of  the  partners, each  partner's  account  would  stand  as  follows : 

Due  A  as  per  above £2,000 

Plus  one-third  of  the  profits 2,000 

£4,000 

Due  C  as  per  above _ £3,000 

Plus  one-third  of  the  profits „ 2,000 

^  5,000 

.',i.J  

9,000 

Due  from  B  as  per  above £4,000 

Less  one-third  of  the  profits 2,000 

2,000 

Net  assets  _ '.Z £7,000 

Those  of  us  who  have  read  the  numerous  involved  court  cases  on  partnership  settlement,  certainly 
must  admire  Stevin  's  ingenuity. 

Consignment  accounts,  which  Pacioli  calls  traveling  accounts,  are  more  thoroughly  described  in  this 
work.  Stevin  thinks  it  wrong  to  debit  consignment  account  and  credit  murchaudise,  when  the  goods  are 
shipped  on  consignment,  because  the  test  when  to  make  an  entry  is  "the  beginning  and  the  end  of  pro- 
prietorship." He  says  it  would  be  foolish  to  debit  a  clerk  and  credit  merchandise  when  a  clerk  takes 
goods  from  a  cellar  or  warehouse  to  the  store  or  from  one  part  of  the  store  to  another.  And  he  feels  that 
consignment  is  a  transaction  of  a  similar  nature,  with  only  a  greater  distance  between  the  places  of  stor- 
age. He  states  if  we  want  to  keep  track  of  these  consignment  transactions,  it  should  be  by  way  of  memo- 
randa but  not  in  the  regular  books.  Like  Pacioli,  he  wants  the  traveling  man  or  consignee  to  keep  books 
on  the  double-entry  system  and  report  sales  at  convenient  times,  these  reports  to  be  entered  in  a  separate 
journal  and  ledger  until  there  is  "a  beginning  and  an  end  of  proprietorship."  It  is  important  to  note 
that  Stevin  very  seldom  uses  the  word  "capital,"  but  substitutes  the  word  "propi-ietorship"  throughout. 

All  the  way  through,  Stevin  uses  as  a  test  for  the  making  of  a  journal  entry  "the  beginning  and  end 
of  proprietorship."  Thus,  when  goods  arrive  in  the  warehouse,  that  is  the  beginning  of  proprietorship, 
and  that  account  is  not  touched  again,  as  far  as  the  journal  and  ledger  are  concerned,  until  the  goods  have 
left  proprietorship  through  consumption.  So,  if  a  barrel  of  beer  were  received  from  the  brewer,  it  would  go 
into  the  warehouse  account  or  the  merchandise  account,  and  there  remain  until  finally  the  butler  on  one  of 
the  war  vessels  would  distribute  it  to  the  sailors,  when  it  would  be  charged  out  to  them.  In  the  interim,  how- 
ever, the  warehouse  has  sent  it  to  a  small  ship,  which  brings  it  to  the  ocean,  there  it  is  transferred  onto  a 
transport,  and  probably  is  transferred  on  the  ocean  two  or  three  times  from  one  steward 's  warehouse  on  one 
ship  to  another  steward's  warehouse  on  another,  until  it  finally  reaches  the  war  vessel  upon  which  it  is 
consumed.  While  he  urges  the  necessity  of  following  this  barrel  of  beer  from  place  to  place,  he  states  that 
this  should  be  done  only  in  memorandum  accounts  and  not  in  the  general  ledger. 

Equally  insistent  he  is  on  the  reissue  of  tools  used  in  the  construction  of  fortifications,  canals  and 
buildings,  or  on  the  farms  and  in  the  field.  He  says  that  tools  are  first  purchased,  issued  to  one  particular 
piece  of  work  and  then  returned  to  the  warehouse  and  used  in  other  places  and  transferred  from  place  to 
place  until  finally  worn  out.     All  of  this  he  feels  should  be  carefully  recorded  but  not  in  the  general  ledger. 

As  to  the  wages,  he  very  carefully  explains  that  a  wages  or  pay  roll  account  avails  one  nothing.  The 
wages  he  says  should  be  carefully  distributed  to  each  department  for  which  they  are  incurred,  exactly  the 
same  as  we  have  seen  Pietra  does.  He  first  distributes  his  wages,  as  he  distributes  all  his  supplies,  to 
definite  departments.  Thus  he  says  we  can  arrive  at  true  costs.  This  method  he  uses  also  in  checking  up 
the  supply  house  and  the  cook,  for  he  instructs  the  cook,  as  we  have  seen,  to  give  a  record  of  the  daily 
meals  served  in  order  to  check  the  pay  roU,  and  he  checks  the  cook  by  instructing  the  warehouse  men  to 
figure  out  the  cost  of  the  meals  per  man.  Thus  he  says,  if  the  cost  per  meal  is  considerably  higher  than  the 
average,  and  the  pay  roU  agrees  with  the  meals  served,  then  the  warehouse  man  has  either  made  an  error 
or  stolen  some  goods. 

In  this  connection,  he  provides  a  perpetual  inventory,  in  which  each  kind  of  merchandise  has  two 
columns,  one  for  the  receipts  or  "  ins "  and  one  for  the  disbursements  or  the  ' '  outs. ' '  He  balances  each 
column  when  new  goods  arrive,  then  counts  what  is  left,  and  adjusts  his  books  to  the  actual  count. 

Gifts  of  merchandise,  he  states,  must  be  valued,  for  three  reasons :  first,  in  order  to  be  able  to  ascer- 
tain actual  expenses  and  consumption  of  merchandise  for  each  department ;  second,  the  proprietor  should 
know  at  all  times  for  how  much  he  is  obligated  to  others ;  third,  in  order  to  know  exactly  the  actual  capital 
invested. 

In  municipal  accounting,  he  urges  tliat  the  ledger  of  any  year  be  held  open  until  at  least  the  end  of 
the  next  year,  to  prevent  heavy  transcribing,  very  much  the  same  as  is  done  now  with  some  tax  rolls. 

Stevin  in  instructing  his  bookkeepers  in  the  municipal  department,  tells  them  to  use  the  words  ' '  debit ' ' 
and  ' '  credit ' '  in  the  explanation  of  each  journal  entry,  thus  making  it  a  little  plainer  to  the  uninitiated  in 
the  terms  of  bookkeeping.  From  the  illustrations  it  mU  be  noted  that  he  does  not  do  so  in  mercantile 
bookkeeping,  but  only  uses  the  term  ' '  debit. ' ' 

What  the  writer  has  said  in  praise  of  Stevin  should  not  be  interpreted  as  meaning  that  he  considers 
Stevin 's  system  perfect  or  even  as  perfect  as  we  have  today,  for  in  many  respects,  it  is  not.  But  the  writer 
believes  that  Stevin  has  left  his  unmistakable  stamp  on  modern  American  methods.  It  would  be  interest- 
ing to  study  the  earliest  American  financial  books  and  ledgers  in  order  to  establish  that  through  the  Dutch 
settlers  of  New  Amsterdam  (now  New  York)  Stevin 's  ideas  were  brought  to  America,  rather  than  by  way  of 
England  through  Dafforne,  who  we  will  see  further  on  in  the  book,  failed  to  translate  to  the  English  lan- 
guage many  of  Stevin 's  ideas. 

118 


V  E  R  R  EC  H  T  I  N  G 
D  O  me"  I  N  E 

Mettc  CONTREROLLE  en  ander  bchouften  vandien. 
't  Welck.  ts 

Verclaring  li^an  ghemeene  ^egel,  ivaerdeur  yer- 

bdet  warden  alle abuj/lenmette fwartcbeden  upte  fclve  fprupende,  die- 
men  tot  noch  toe  uytgeen  %ekencamers  van  oouietne  en  Ftfiante 
heejtconnen  wercn. 
Wcfendc  Oeffeninghen  dcs  Docrluchtichflen  HcK)^ftghc- 
boren  Vorft  en  HeereMAVRITS  by  Gods  gV- 
nade  Prince  van  Orange,  &c.  Ho:  LofF:  Mcmorie. 

Befthtewndcur  SIMON  STEVIN  van  Brugghc,  in  fl/nlevendes  Hooghghenielteo  Hceie 
PlUNCtN  Superintendent  vande  Finance,  &c.  "En  uyt  fijn  naghelatea 
Hantfchriften  by  eeo  ghefteltdeur  (ijn  Soon  KENDRICK 
STEVIN  Ambachtsheercvan  AlphcQ, 


TOT         LET     DEN, 

Tcr  Druckcryo  van  IVSTVS  LIVIVS, 
In't  tfpeede  laer  des  Vredes. 


119 


BOVCKHOVDING. 


45 


STAET  VAN  MY  DIERICK 

Roofe gemaeckt  op  den  laetfien  December  1600. 


Staet  of  capitael  debet. 

Itr  AernoHt  lacobs  fol.  14.  51.8.0. 

Rejl  debet  hier  gfjielt  byjlote 
yandefen       -     -       -      }I40.   9.1. 


tS'cmmc  5 1 9 1 ,  17,2. 


Staet  ot  capitael  credit. 

Fermtenjol.y  •  17  J  •gj'  5  one.  tot 

7(1 't  font,  comt         •      •     60.  If.  2 

Per  pe^erfol.  7 -120  fg'tol  40  S 

'tpont,  (omt      ....    20.    0.  0. 

"PerOtiMerdc  Srrartefol.^ .    -    513.12.0. 

"Per  Adriaen  de  Winter  fol.  n-    150.    6.0, 

VerPietcrdeWittefol.ll.    -    448.  o.  O. 

Ferlacqueide  Somerfol.li    .         54.18.6. 

Per  cajfc fol.  19     -      -      -      1944.    7.5, 


J  >mme  3 1 9 1 .  17.  i . 


Sulcx  dat  Debiteurs,met  gereet  gelt  en  vvaren,hier 
meet  bedragen  dan  Crediteurs  voor  vveerde  des 
capitaels  op  den  lactftcn  van  December  i  <Soo   -   3 140.9. 1. 

Maer  op  den  laetften  December  I599>  of 'tbegin 
des)aersi6oodatccnrelvcis,  vvashet  capitael 
van  2, 1  $  ?  oC  5  J5  8  i^ ,  want  treckende  den  debet 
5 14  o^  6  J5,vanden  credit  1667  oC  9  jj  8  §,  blijft 
alsvooren  .         .  -  -  - 

VVelcke  getrocken  vande  3140C529  jj  i§,  blijft 
voor 't  gene  datter  op  dit  jaer  verovert  isjende  in 
defc  ftaet  gcfocht  vvicrt  _         -         - 


2153.3.8. 


987.5.5. 


STAET  PROEF. 


MAer  om  nu  te  ficn  of  het  bovefchreven  vaft  gaetjfo  dient 
dit  tot  een  proef :  Ick  vcrgaer  al  de  reften  der  poften  van 
vermecrderende  of  verminderende  capitael,  't  vvelck  fyn  de  re- 
ften der  poften  die  inde  voorgaende  ftaetmaking  nieten  qua- 

men> 


120 


4tf  VANDE  COOPMANS  ' 

men,  alstottc vvcfentlickcftactnictbchoorendc:  Endevvant 
de  felve  fyn  paityen  van  vvinfl  en .verlics  voorgcvallcn  indcn  tijt 
defer  bouckliouding,  datsfcdert  o  lanuarius  1600,  vvtlcke  by 
aldienmcnhetbouck  flotc  (gclijck  int  volgcndc  10  HooftRick 
gedaeiifalvvordcn  j  op  rekcning  van  vvinH  en  vcdies  fouden 
coalmen,  foo  meet  dan  daer  deuroock  vcrovcring  bevon(fcn 
vvorden  van  987  c^5  j55§'  Tot  dcfen  cindc  begin  ick  het 
Schultbouck  teoverloopcn  vanvoorcnacn,  cndcontmoct  my 
eerft  dc  pofte  dcr  nagelcn  fol.  5,  vvaer  op  ick  wind  bcvinde  van 
75.4.7.  dacrnaontmoctcn  my  notencnandergocdcn,  alshicr 
jiavoJglit.  Dochftaetnoch  tcgedcnckcn,  dat  overfchfctende 
goedcn  liicr  bcielcent  vvorden  tenfelvcn  prijfcals  inden  voor- 
gacnden  ftact ,  om  dat  vvy  nemcn  haer  vvccrde  foo  te  vvcfen, 
vvildcmen  in  d'een  en  dander  nemcn  den  prijs  verandert  te  zijn, 


men  foudet  cock  meusjen  doen 


VVinftcn  verlies  debet. 

Per  cncoflen  yan  coomfchapfol.  16-   57.   7.0. 
Fer oiKoflenyandenhuyfe fol. 16  -  107.  lo.o. 


Somme  164.  17.0. 

Rf/?  ereJit  nhpreu^ijt  oyerttnccm- 
mende  metle  voorgatnde  rekt- 
ntnghitr gefldt per [olde     -     -    987.5.5. 


Somme  1152.2.$. 


VVinft  en  verlies  credit. 


Per  ve'mjl  op  nagelenfol.  5  -  .  75.4.7. 
Verrymjl  opnotmfol.y  -  .  109.  7.2. 
Veryyinfiopftpirfol.y  •  .  ig.ip.o. 
Vcr  yy wjl  op gimher fol.  g.  -  -  41,  8,4, 
Ptrreken'mg  yun  yy iiiji  en  yerltes 

(  yyicns  pojlt  te  gedent.  ken  h  dat 

ten ttjde defer  yyerckingin  debet 

allecnehck  hadde  trvee  parlyen,te 

yyeten  y.jn  100  ^J^  en  i  2  -J^ 

maer  m  credit  drie patt'ien  ah  4 
p£  J .  4.  en  1$  (^met  1 000 

^) fol.  19       -       -       -       907.  J.  4. 


Sommc  1 1 52.  2.  5. 


Nudanliet  prouffijt  dcurdefe  wyfepock  bcvondcn  fijnde 
van  987  oC  5  ,g  5  §,  als  te  voorcn  int  Hot  des  ftaets,  foo  mach 
dit  tot  pro.cf  dcs  vvercx  vcrftrccken. 

Merckt 


121 


Imuh. 


4 


limHa. 


■J 

'S 
«5 


'tlaeCKJoo. 

yirfcheydn  purtUn  dtbn  ptr  Capilael  TiH  my  Dleriel^  Hft/i 
z66l  '&'  9  15  8  S  J  dturrliti icl^tinyconsemdiii ila- 
gc  ftaet  Vdngoet  tnal^ende  ^mj  Irevonden  bebl/t  toeteht' 
haoren  dtnAVolgendepartitnyan^elt ,  yfaytn en fchittden: 
Endi  mfl : 

CttJJe  h  ^ereden  gelde  -  -  -         • 

Kngflin  4  b-tlen  nvfgfnde 
n°  i  -  87-(rfri.J."> 


»o  9- 


,9-  79<rfr  i.^.-v 
7  .  8  J  /<(•  1 , 4.  / 
6.  84  («r  1.2.  y 

8-  EoMM.fi.  S 

}2t(ai-;.o. 
P?/"?/"  3  biilm  >yfgende 
n">9  •  1^0  tar  i.o,'\ 
I  o  -  260  /<«■  2.0.  ?Jf(/  J 
It  -  IS  1  tar  i.o.y" 


,7f  c<  3  2  o  "Uf  /of  9  jU  V^«»/,  ami 


S  3  -^  /«/  30  ^  V/sw,  MM* 


76^  /.i>'6.o. 


Gimber  s  irf/m  yvegfn^t 
n"  4  -  26<5«.ir  2.0.'^ 

5  ■ 

«• 

7-164  i^r  20.  I 

8  -  ijfif/jr  2. O.J 


)  -  26<5«.ir  2.0.^ 

;  -  liatnr  2.0. 1 

!.2i8/«2.0.^jjj^,jj^ 


f^/Mjig'/pes'^cna* 


I  304-^ (Tr  lO  o. 


Het  navolgendc  fyn  Debiteurs  gctrockcn  uyt 
dc  voorfchrcveti  ftaet. 

OmterdeSvparleTrerfil>yntisde6Meyet6oo. 
^driam  di  PViitler  verfihynende  8  luniut  1  6eo.      - 
Piittrdeyi^illiyer/chyncndeioluniitn6oo.    -       -     - 
lacqHis  de  Stmer  vtrfihynmdi  1  Mmtim  1 60  j.       -     - 

Scmme 


Capnael  Van  myDieric\  R^ofedtbitpir  ynfclieydtnCrtdileu- 
reit,  an  de  vveUl^e  il^myltn  yonrnoemdi  dap  dear  de  yur- 
fchreyenflaelmaliing  bevinde  /chuldich  lefyne  itU  ytljht  : 
IcosKcirct  rirfihynende  di>t  yMaerti  16O3. 
DaYit  Upeh  yirfchyninde  den  1  Mrye  1 600,     - 
AernoMt  lacobi  yetjchyninde  dtn  1  o  ^pril  i  tf  00.      -     - 

Semme 
D   3  Oncfjfen 


cA 


83c 


•7J 


M4 


94 


"7* 


100 

350 
3^0 

190 


& 


266  7 


150 

I«4 


5M 


122 


<6 
! 


2« 


is 


FfJiMK. 


Vebrua. 


Mitirce, 


6 
•5 


|6 
! 


i8 


Mat/tt. 


Maeite, 


31 


Mtitrtt 


^pril. 


■  6 

5 

M 
9 


3° 
3° 


^pnl. 


^fril. 


Mrye. 


't  her  i6oq, 

Cxetjfm  VM  ecim/ihup  drbil  fercuj/i  ,(teiir  i<liitll  itili/t 
m.reni  r/n  Februarim  hlijc\tndr  by  'I  mmuriitd  rim  riitn 


Oncoftm  yamlm  huyfc  debit  fir  cafe ,  Jeiir  bcUelt  in  defi 
maent  fan  Februttiitu  blijct^ende  by  't  memarUel  y.tn  dten 


Itcques  dt  Somir  debt!  fir  nugtlen  ,  dcur  dal  icl^  an  hem  yir- 
cocbt  beb  I  balen  te  betalen  binnen,  2  maendeh,  'pyezende 


177iMc2.fi. 


Noten  debet  ftr  Dayit  lipeli,dei<r  dai  icl^  ran  hem^ecQcht  heb 

3  bAltn  It  beulen  binnen  3  maenden,  vre^ende 
'*°  <  •  79  ''"'  I  •  o."\ 

5-8ow(.|.o.  yN</ti8fB-/o(8  (l't.pt)nt,am  - 

6-Zitari.a.}  '^ 

1^1  tar  3.  0. 


Oncejien  van  Coomfehap  debit  per  caffe  ,  deAr  belaell  i»  defi 
maent  van  Maerti  blijct^ende  by  'i  memoriael  van  dim 


Oncoflen  Vandebuyfi  d;betpcr  caffe, deur  betaelt  in  deje  maent 
Van  Maerte  blijcl^ende  by  *t  memoriael  van  dim  - 


Caffe  debet  per  nagelen,deiir  dat  ic\  contant  vercocht  heb  rba 
Itn  an  lofep  Sander t  vvi^ende 

I77i  tat  i.i. 


Gimber  debet  per  caffe ,  deurdat  ici^contant  gecocht  hib  j  b*- 

len  van  Lnuyi  lanfi,  vvegende 
;^"  I  4  -  264  tar  z.  o.^ 

15  -  lyotan.  o.  ^  W794 -QS-di*  jo  B'tftne   _ 

16  .  166  tar  I.  o.) 

'    800  tar  6.  o. 


Oncoflen  Vancoomfibap  debet  per  caffe  ,  deur  betaelt  indefe 
maent  ^prtt  bltjcl^inde  by  V  memoriael  van  dten.     r     - 

Onciflen  van  den  buyfe  debet  percaffi,  deur  betaelt  in  defi 
maent  van  ^pril  blijc\inde  by  't  memoriael  Yan  dien  - 


Davit  Rjielj  debet  per  Omxer  deSvvarte  ,  deur  dat  icl^  Davit 
geaffnneert  hebvanOmaer  t'ontfangen  in  VoUebetalinjb 
yan  dies  icl[DaVitfihaldichhen,vervaUende  den  1  Maer- 
te 1 600,  en  in  mindering  yan  diet  my  Omaerfibnldich  if, 
vetvaliende  6  Tvleye  1600 

ftrfihey- 


& 


■  04 


i3 


95 


114 


99 


_3 
6 


150 


123 


'tiaeridoo. 

cS. 

•» 

JO 

Mryi. 

i<-8s/^c  i.  o.f^eti76f^miog't  font  - 

8j 

.       _ 

178  lar  z.  0.  1 

c 

W»'f»  1  bitlen  vytgtndf 

JO 

n"    13  -  86  (<ir  1.8.  >    ., 

M.88/.»-,:8  |NfM7/#Mf  J^  tpotit    - 

I  74  <«  3.0.                                                             Jommf 

63 

■! 

>  ?i 

■  o 

Mfjif. 

/'«/?)•  (te  yrttle  debit  per  yirfchejdenfariien,  in  hem  vemcht  te  be- 

^.^^ 

■  tMen  binnm  5  ypei^en,  en  eerji : 

9 

GImber  8  b^len  vyegende 
nO     4  -  l66  lay  2.  o.-v 

5  *  160  tar  2.0. 

6  -  isS  titr  2.0, 
7-  Z(5<  Mr  2.0. 

8 -  2  j6  (^r  2.0.  >  j<!et2o88  -as- ror ^(5.  &  ';po?;t  - 

3'J 

M  -  26^  Mr  2.0.                                                      "^ 

I  s  -  270  tjr  2.0. 

i5  ,•  i66lar  2. O.J 

21  O'f  ^*»r  16.0. 

7 

Kot£>t  7  ^rf/p«  t'yegeiicie 

n"  4  -  79  Mr  1.  0.^ 

J  -  80/itri.o.  1 

6-  %ztitr  i.o.  1 

9 -  79 '•"■  '■■!■}■  Net SfS  f^tot  izj^  'cpoiit    - 

7-82/4/1.4.1 
3  .  84  /tr  1.2.  1 
S  -  80  Mr  1.6  / 

331 

1> 

5  as  Mr  8.0.                                                                Somme 

648 

4 

'Mtyt, 

Caffe  debet  per  Omtier  dt  Svvtrte,  ytm  hem  cntfain  in  miriderin^  ran 

9 

JI 

't  yerjthenen  den  6  Mcye  1600 

30 

1  2 

Myie. 

loos  Koitot  debet  per  caffe,  an  hem  betaell  in  mmderin^  van't  verjche- 

J 

11 

nen  den  7  Jvlaerte  1600 

JO 

>4 

Myf, 

MrnoKl  lacobi  debet  per  eaffr,  an  htm  betaclt  in  minderingb  ran 

! 

1' 

't  rirfchenen  den  1 0  ^pril  1 600 

200 

ifi 

Mfjf. 

Oncoften  ran  ccomfihap  debet  per  caffe,  deur  betaiit  in  defe  maent  ran 

5 

J" 

MeyebUjc^tyideby'tmemiriaelrandien           ... 

4 

'l<i 

Miyi. 

Oncojicn  randen  luiyfe  debet  per  caffe  ,  deut  betaell  in  deft  maent  ran 

7 

iO 

MeyebUjcl^endeby'tmemoriaelrandien 

7 

-1 

Inniui, 

Caffe  debet  per  lacques  de  Somer,  Van  hem  ontfaen  in  minderingh  Van 

M 

'/  rirfchenen  den  i  Maerie  1600 

200 

-^—  1       ^ 

^trmHt 

J 


iC 


124 


s 

I 

i6 

J 

8 


■  ■ 
•J 
•3 


II 

H 
M 


M 

s 

« 


18 

Imiut. 

'tIaeri<Joo. 

jiirntHt  Idcohs  dtUt  fin  caffe  ,An  hem  helnell  »»  yolilechlngl}  tin 
't  yerfiheHtadtn  10  ^f  til  t  600     •         - 

«1 

S 
6 

1  0 

0 

M 

10 

8 

1  2 
0 

n 

0 

i 
0 

•i 

0 
0 
0 

0 
4 

c 

i° 

InntM. 

OncoUtn  'Pan  Coomfchap  debet  per  cttjje  deur  beUelt  in  ctefe  indent  van 
luniui  tflijcl^ende  by  '/  memoriatt  van  dien 

1 

30 

iMtlilU, 

Oncejlen  fandin  liuyfe  debet  per  caffi  ,  diur  bttaell  in  deft  maent  ran 
Junimblt^ci^nde  by 't  tnemoriaet  vandien 

4 

Inliifi. 

Omaer  de  Svvarie  debet  per  yer[ebeyden  partien  ^an  hemrereochtte 
betalen  binnen  t  maenden,  diegeteyert  ^ijn  in  handen  Van  ^ndriei 
Corffyn  Facieur^hn  dat  deur  la/1  vanden  voor/ctireven  Omacr,bltjc- 
l^ende  hyfyn  mlifive  yandtn  1 0  lunius  1 600 ;  hn  ten  eerjlen 

Peper  }  balen  vvegende 

n°    9  -  Z50  tar.  i-  0  *^ 

•o-iioear.i.o.V^efJSSf^tOtiSR'tpOnt. 
ii-lf^lar.i.o.J            ' 

764  tar.  6.  0. 

"3 

8r 

Norm  1  baien  vre-^tnde 

"°  \  \  -is  Tlr.  I  .■  8'.}N"  i7if&totio^'t  pnf    - 

nytar.  J.  0. 

- 

\ageUn  I  baien  Vfe^endt 

no  1 1  -  90  tar.  1 .  0.  ■>  jvj^  ^  {^6  WtOt  n  .({'t  VOtlt       - 
It -S8  tar.  t.o.f             '                      ^^     I 

ijSlar.2.0.                                                          Sommr 

3'3 

8 

IhUm. 

Cajft  debet  per  yerfcheydenperjmntn,  yanhemlien  en ifaen genet  ^tlt 

all  yolghl. 
^driaen  def^^inter  in  mindering  van  yerfchmeH  8  luniia  1  tfoo 
Pieter  deyyiitt  tn  yoUe  beialing  v.tnl  yerfthtnen  20  luhua  1  «co 
Pielej  de  yVuie  in  mindiring  yan  't  yetfckenen  den  5  lulim  1600 
Uc^iiei  deScmer  in  yoUe  beialing  yant  yerfehenen  1  \ta/t.  i  600 
lae^uei  de  Somer  in  minderwg  yant  yerfehenen  7  Meye  1600 

Ssmme 

100 

Jfio 

aoo 

90 

?o 

9C0 

16 

IhUm. 

Inliiu. 

yerftheyden  perfeonen  debet  per  cafe,  an  hemlien  belaelt  genet  gelt  ah 

ritlghl  : 
ImititiirQt in yoUeietallng yan 't yerfehenen  7  ^'larrle  1 6oo     - 
Davit  Rjeli  oft  yerfehenen  den  1%  li:r.iiu  1600 
MrntMt  lactbi  opt  yerfchepen  den  Jo  Uniiu  1 600 

Somme 

50 
00 

100 

Jio 
35 

le 

Davit  R}eli  debet  per  cajfe,  an  hem  heiaelt  in  yeldeeningh  van 't  yer- 
fehenen den  j3  IiiniM  1 600 

Z8 

Noten  debet  per  cafe,  denr  dat  icl^gecoeht  heb  J  lialen  gereel  ge!t  VVe- 
gende  net  i^cfg- Kt  7  ^'tptnt 

81 

Peper 

12c 


i8 


i3 


-4 

.Aug. 

'tiaeridoo. 

Peper  debit  ptr  mttu.dmr  dat  icl(gtmmgelt  hib  llimAnJriij  Cite/!. 

all  vUht  : 

Pcpir  iiofgttt^o^  'tpont  bji^ndritj  CUtJi.  an  my  gtlivcri, 
comt                        -                       .                        «                    . 

Uoten  6  6  ^  1 1  onctn  lof  6  17  •(  pmt ,  die  ic\  411  .A'ldrietfUeJi. 
geleyert  beb,  comt           ■        - 

io 
10 

$ 

0 

0 
0 

0 

0 
0 

0 

! 

3 

0 

0 
0 

0 

0 

! 

.Aug. 

Kflfeijiiigyan-'-vvinU  tn  virlies  debet  ptr  caffe ,  deur  dm  icl^^met  C*- 
tiinc  mijn  dienHmaectjt  ten  huvvelicl^s  gegefen  hebbe 

1  00 

•Aug. 

Sept. 
Sept. 

yerfiheydinpurtttn  debet  ptr  .AernoHtJacabJi,.  deur  dat  «^  ran  hem 
gelichi  hebbe  1000  Ov  op  intrefl  tegen  1 1  ten  hondtrt  Cfiaers ,  en 
dii  yoor  een  maent ,vyaer  afdt  yerfchtyden  partien  dufdanicli  ^ijn: 

Cajji  deur  daticl^  van  hem  tntfaen  hebbe  de  bsye/chreyeii  ImfiJ'omme 
ytn                .                   .                      '.                   . 

Rj\{tmttg  yan  yy inji  in  verlies  deur  dien  den  inlreft  der  birejchreytn 
hiijijomme  bp  een  itiaent  hedtatcht                -              -            _ 

Sontme 

I  000 

12 

1  01  z 

■  0 

Ucquesde  Somer  debet peryer/chejdtnpariien  ,  d'urdai  icl^h<mge- 

givenheb  ^00  -£  of  inireUteginio  ten  honderl  t'fiaerj ,  en  dii 

Vtor  een  maent,  yraer  afde  yirfihiyden  parlien  du/danich  ^yn  : 

CaJJi dem- dai  iil^htm geicit  htbbede  boye/chreirn  ha<ifi/amnu  ya» 

Kjl^tning  ran  yymjl  eii  ytrlies ,  dcurjiim  den  inlereH  der  hoyejihie. 

yenboofifimmeepecnmamibedriiecht            -            .         . 

Somme 

500 

■1 

S04 

18 

.Adriatndeyt^inter debet perytrfihQdenfartien  180  ^-^    deut  dat 
hyyAnmycntfftenhteftep  yvijffel  too ,^  ftetrlmx  lot  ^^    f! 
hetpont,  btdragende  1 6  J  ^,»'"  </«  yyeeiom  le  betalen  an  Omaer 
deSvvartebinnen  Lonnen  op  tyyte  mainder.  naficht,  hei  font  Jtecr- 
linxge, client  of  16  J^,  yyaet  tfde  Verfihrydin  partien  dufdanicb 

Cajfe  dear  d,ii  hji  yan  ay  onlfaen  hiift  de  borifihreyen  fimme  van 
/{el^ining  yan  yyinji  en  yerlies ,deur  dun  de  yyiffil  van  3  (tiepinde 

ofdeioo^fteerlincxbedrauht            ... 

Somme 

'S 

i3o 

J3 

Sept. 

.Aernoul  I.uobf\  dcbiijer  eaffe,an  hem  btlaell  daller ver/chmm  »v,n 
den  ii  September  idoo             -                  .            -           - 

lOI  1 

i| 

Stpt, 

CaJJe  debet  per  rel^ening  v«n  Vyinfi  en  verlies,  demgterft  le  hcbbtn  ha 
goit  mijns  Oemi                 -               -                        -            ,     - 

1000 

1  2 

OHob. 

CaJfe  debet  per  iactjues  de  Somtr  »  yan  hem  cntfacn  datttr  yetfchemn 
yVM  den  1 0  OUobcr  1 600            -                  -           - 

501 

E                                    Omatr 

126 


8 

1 1 



i« 

'9 


Dictm. 


't  laer  i(5oo. 

Om^tr  Jt  StVMie  lit  Unntn  drl-tt  frr  ^ciiUen  de  Vl^inttt,  dtur  Jai 
hy  fear  my  ortlfaeti  herft  cp  yrijfel  I'.tnrldtfihtii  ^Idii.itn  ,  lUjc- 
l^rnde  t/y/ynfchryvcn.  ... 


DrctM-  OncojitA  y.m  coomfcU-ip  ddti  per  c^ffe.4nir  irueir  indt  mamdtn  v.ti 
luliM,  ^-luiujlut,  Septtmier,  Ocliber ,  Kovemifr  ,  in  Dccenili(r, 
hlijchcfide  by  V  7ncnii1ri.nl  yan  dicn  -  - 


31  \Dcittn. 


'-'lU'.pcn'Y.vidciiliiiyfedtb!! ftrC'ifftdcur  btlddt  inde  inKtndm  VAn 
luhin,.A!,"ujhi<,S<flcnibtrfiiiobcr,'N.(iy>cmLcr,m  Dcccmbtr,lli]C- 
t^cndiby'l  rnemorijclyondicn  -  - 


Meicktdat  dcfe  twee  lactftepatticn  van  oncoften 
louden  na  'tgemecii  gebtuyck  vetdcelt  behooren  te 
vvotdcn  ten  cindc  van  ydcr  macnt ,  Too  veel  op  cickc 
viel  :  Doch  alfoot  vergetcn  was,  ick  en  hcbt  niet  yvil- 
Icn  vcrfchryvcn  ,  tc  nicer  dattct  indc  daet  fomvvylen 
footocgaet. 


C^ 


|8< 


3 


80 


127 


Umuu 
Deam, 


Dtetv- 


Decern- 

Decern. 
Decern. 
Decern. 
Decern, 


Gapitael  debet.  't  laer  1 600, 

Peryerfcheyienptrtiia  -  -  •  - 

Per  mien ftl.  ■),  ileitr  dulcet  indr  (f,ieimal{iiig  bnonilen  \i]n  17  j  -Q^ 

fcnciifiuyteeTiiicbjtl'IponliCumt         -  -       - 

Perpeperfil.  7.  Jeur i*ller indejtaelmal^mf^bennien  :;^>i  1 10  ^ 

nuyveeidich  ^oR'tfiHttComt 
Per  Omtey de Sfvnte  yerfchynende  dtn ^  Seficmlm  en  1  ^  Decem- 
ber 1 600  fil.  t)  -  - 
Per^druen  de  yvinler  vetfit>yntnde  den  8  lutiiM  1 600 fol.  1 1 
PerPieterdefViiteterfchjinendeden  ^luliiu  1600  fit,  11 
Perlacquei  de  Simer  yerjiliynende den  7  ^Uye  1 6oo/«/.  1  j 
Per  ctfe ftl.  19               -                 "  ... 


cA 

s\ 

I'l 

i 

60 

Ji 

10 

0 

5'J 

1 1 

150 

6 

44S 

c 

<4 

18 

'911 

7 

3706 

1 

4 

Ft/. 

I 

a 
3 
3 

4 


0 

lioiu*. 

6 

sAfril. 

}" 

Meye- 

10 

lunliu. 

8 

idm. 

Caffe  debet. 

Per  enfttnet  fill,  i 

Per  ndgelenjiil.  f 

Per  Omaerde  Syytqtitfcl.  9 

Per  laches  de  Semerftl.  I ) 

Per  ■perjihejdtn  putitn 


'tlacriiJoo. 


Simmt 


cA 

S 

88f 

0 

114 

3 

3^ 

0 

jOo 

0 

500 

'3 

l.»4 

16 

IMIU, 

tJleye. 

Nagelen  debet-       t  laer  1600. 

Percafitaelfil.  j                •                  .             - 
Per  Jterncut lacebffol.,  if 

Sommi 

Perrel[eningyimyyinfl enyerliei fit.  19  hier  gefielt,ty 
JUltyande/en,yyefendefrtHgtjtcfnaieUn     -    - 

Somme 

■m 

35° 
■76 

one, 

8 

0 

'75 

83 

S16 

8 

»S8 
75 

516 

8 

333 

f«/. 


I.inua. 
>,Ucrle 

%leye. 
lutiui. 


Decern. 


Noten  debet.       'tIaeri(Jop. 

Percapitaelfot.  i  '     - 

Per D,irit  lioellfel.  if 
Per^Arrnout  Ucibsful.i^ 
Pircajfefii.  19 


Somme 


Per  refining  »<t»  JDirii/J  jij  yertiesfil.  1 9.  hier grflAi iy 
flilc  yan  dtfin,  yycfindrprtHjijt  op  mien 


Somme 


f^ 

an^ 

c2 

3 

310 
■  71 

0 

0 

0 

'^4 
95 

68 

0 

2 

1^0 

0 

84 

0 

9*9 

0 

39' 

1 1 

109 

7 

569 

° 

500 

«9 

128 


Imm. 
Dttem. 
Uettm 


Capitacl  credit.  't  laer  1 600. 

Perm/chiydntpartifit 

Per  Runout  Uei'ji  yeifthynende  den  jo  Imiiu  i  Coo  fat,  i  ^ 

PerrtfynmgVMninHiHTmlittfil.  iS 


Simmt 


5' 

}70(i 

9 

8 

S 

Itt, 


18 

IS 

3' 
31 

»o 

30 
30 
J' 
3< 
3' 
3> 
iS 

30 
30 
iC 

to 

Ftima. 

Fehrua. 

Maerte 

Maerte 

^p/il. 

ylpnl. 

^pril. 

Mfye. 

'Meye. 

Mey'et 

Meye. 

Imiiu. 

luniM 

luniiu. 

Ulim. 

IhUhi. 

CafTe  credit.             't  laer  160  a. 

Per  oneoPen  yan  eoom/chapfot.  1 6 
Per  mcijhn  yanden  buy  fefot.   \6 

Prrcneofienyancoomfchapfil.  iC          .                 .              . 
PeroneejienyandentiHyfe  fol.  iC              -           • 
Pergimberfil.  8                   -             .                .            .            - 
Peronciflmyaneoiimfchapfiil.  t6                   .             .             - 
per Qneojlen yanden  huyfefvl.  i6 

Pet  loei  ifiint  fol,  n               .                .            .                 .       ^ 
Pef  .Aenout  lacobsfol.  14              .            '       . 
■Per  oncoHen  yan  coomfihapfoL  1 S                -                 j 
Per  oncojign  yanden  huyfefol.  16                  -                    .              - 
Per  ^ernout  laeobifol.  14 

Per  oncofien  yitn  coomfchapfot.  (5                 •           - 
Per  oneoHen  yanden  huyfefol.  i  (J                 •                   ^            - 
Per  V(rfchiyden  part ien                  ... 
per  Dayit  RJelifol.  14- 

Semme 

Per  flit  y*n  defm,  in  tlrirgedragtn  ih  debit fil.  '18 

Somme 

o2 

3 
3 
4 

( 

99 
3 
6 

50 

100 

4 

7 

64 

5 
lio 

35 

703 
1411 

iiJ4 

7 
t 

Matrte 
^pril. 
luliu). 

Nagelcn  credit,     't  laer  1600. 

Per  laeques  de  Somerfol.  i  » 

Per  ctfjifnl.  4                     .                 -                , 

Per  Omair  de  Svy  arte  fol.  8            -            -           - 

Somrri: 

176 

M 

10 
0 

8 

10 
114 

114 

51C 

333 

16 


0 

o 
o 

o 


Mejt. 
ImUm, 
Aug. 


Dicim. 


Notencredit.     'tIaeri5oo. 

Per  Pieier  de  ffitiifol.  1  o 

Per  Omae  r  de  Svy  arte  fit,  8  - 

Perfeftrfol.  6  •  •  • 


Somme 


Per capilaeJftl,  2  dear  dallerindeflaetmal^ingbeyon- 
den  ^ijn  1 7  3  ■©•  $  """> «'""  >  »»  f1"'rdul>  ;  Jj 
'iftnt,  etmt  •  ■  - 


iTtmmt 


fff 

«»(. 

©C 

S 

« 

Si8 

0 

3H 

iS 

a 

'7' 

0 

8i 

10 

0 

66 

1 1 

20 

0 

0 

795 

" 

4,0 

6 

0 

'73 

5 

Co 

'i 

t 

9C9 

0 

;oo 

•9 

< 

129 


■Alia.- 


Peperdebtt.  tlaeii6oo. 


PefercnjiiUelfil.  j 
I'er  mtlinfil.  7 


SoMmi 


Decern.  Vf/rrt^ening  tun  ffintt  en  ytrlieifil.  1 9,  i<Vx«/?f''  6y 

Jhte  Tei<niltf(in,tfeJendefrDiifftjlDffii'er     ■     - 


SonirKe 


7^S 
1  io 

0 

0 
0 

0 

9-1 

10 

■S 

0 

'9 
'•1 

S7S 

l-»4 

■  8 

?7  8 

■33 

3' 


litnuii. 
Decern. 

Gimbcr  debet,     't  lacr  i  (Joo. 

PerCdfiiMlfd.  J                 -                -            - 
Pirctifj'efii.  5            -            -            -            - 

Per  ri\enm^fan  fvinJI  en  vtrlies fol .  i^.bier^tfUUhj 
jUte  V«n  dcfen  vyefcnilefyiiiiffijl  op  gimbcr       -      - 

Siiame 

1294 
79'4 

one. 

0 

0 

9? 

1088 

0 
0 

*7' 
4' 

ioSS 

3«3 

luliU4^ 

Decern. 


Omaer  de  fv.var.ce  debet.  t  laer  1 600. 

Prt  CAfitaelyerfchynende  6  lAcyt  1 690/0/.  j  -  - 

Per  rerfchfyden  pitrlien  verfclrynfnde  4  Sept,  I  600 
Per  yldrhundef^rintcrop  vrtjfclfol.  11 

Samine 


.   200 

3'3 

180 

0 

1  2 

0 

■  2 

6<,i 

10 


■  s 


Itmu*. 

Sept. 


Adriaende  Winter  debet,     'tlaer  i5oo. 

Per  c/fitaeJ  vtr/chyntnde  8  lunim  i  Coo  fit.  j 
Per  vtvfcheyAm ftttienterfchyiunde  2  maenden  nnfichtJcjvviJfel 
brteft        -  •  .... 

Sommi 


3S0 
180 

530 

6 

0 
C 

im 


4 

lultUi. 

Dcctm. 

Peper  credit.      'ilacri6oo. 

PtrOmneT'deSvyniltfol.S 

Ptr  en  fit  All  fit.  X  dtur  Hotter  hit  j}ittlma\m^  iitYon  ■ 
din  vjn  1 10  f^f 'Z"'  •  »«  »'frdich  ^o  ^  •  font, 
nmt                  -                -            - 

Stmmt 

7S8 

110 

878 

"J 


U3 


H        • 


Fol. 
3 


\o 


Miye, 


Glmbcr  credit.       't  laer  i6oa. 

Pit  Piittt  dt  yFllltfil.  I  e 


1088 


tHt. 


J>3 


I 


3' 


Mtye. 
Meje. 


Diem. 


Omacr  de  S watte  credit,     't  laer  1600. 

Ptf  Dayit  I^clj  opt  rtrfchentn  6  Miye  1 600 fit,  1 4 
Ptr ta£e opttirfchtncH  6  Mf)*i 600 fol.  4 


Pentifilittlfil.  a  hitrgfjttlt  lyftett  ym  itfia 


Stmmt 


Sommt 


l;o 

0 

30 

0 

I  So 

0 

f'3 

It 

693 

IX 

Pol. 

4 
6 


8 

Inlius, 

M 

Decern. 

J' 

Dttem. 

Adriaende  Winter  credit,     'tlaer  i^oo. 

Pit  cuffi  dpi  vrrfchinia  8  luniut  1 600 fit.  4  . 

Per  Omaer  de  Stvurte  opt  Tierfihenen  hiir  nfvenftJ.  3 


Pir  cupiltiilfol.  2  liter geflell  byjiole  »<»  iefen 


Sommt 


Sommt 


100 
180 

380 

150 

J30 

& 

0 
0 

0 

6 
6 

J I 


131 


lunun. 


PieterdeVVitte  debit.     'tIaeri6oo. 

Vet  capitntl  Ttrfcliynndt  Jo  Innius  1 600 fit.  3  • 

Per  Tfttfchcydeti (alien  yerfihjrtendt  5  /«//w  1 609 


Stmmi 


8 
0 

8 

360 
648 

1008 

li 


e 

tMim. 

7 

MACrlt 

10 

Stlh 

lacques  de  Somer  debet,     t  laer  1 600. 

Peretpitdielyer/chyntBdei  Marrte  1 600 fot.i. 
Pcrnagelenyer/chynende  y  Meye  iCeo fol.  ^  -  - 

Per  ynfchiydenpurtitn  It  btialen  i  o  OBtb.  1 6eo 


Simmt 


190 
104 

i04 


899 


M 

5 

18 

3 
6 


yatyt. 

lulim. 


loos  Noirot  debet,     't  laer  1600. 

Pn  tAJjt  Oft  yerfchiatn  7  \liurle  1 600 fol.  { 
Per  caffe  cpt  rer/ihenen  7  Mterte  1 600  fcl.  5 


2tn«mf 


so 

0 
0 

0 

100 

14 


Davit  Roels  debit.      tUev  1600. 

PnOmaerde  Syv.iyfeoptt'erfcUcnm  i  }/eye  l6cofel.  9 
PcrCitJfeopt  rrrfdicncn  z3  luntM  i  6oofoT-  9 
Pf*-  c<i^  o/J/  ycrfehcnrn  28  lunjui  1 600/0/.  j 


Stmme 


dC 

J^ 

1(0 

0 

60 

0 

31 

4 

»15 

■1 

3' 


Mtye. 
luniuj. 
luliiu. 
Sept. 


Decern. 


Aernout  Jacobs  credit.     laer  1600. 

Pf>'  c<i/7f  'pi  verfihencn  i  o  ./^f  fi7  i  Caofol,  5 
Pr)'  f  (*//?  opt  "PeYfchentn  i  o  .///J>  it  I  600 fol.  5 
Pirc,iJfeop*t  verfihema  -^oluniui  iCoofoi,  5 
Perc/iJJeep  't  rer/iheaen  21  Jf^f.  1 600 fol.  19 


Per  eipiltelfol.  3  hiergeflelt  byjlute  van  defen 


Scmme 


Somme 


ICO 

0 

«4 

6 

100 

0 

101 1 

0 

1376 

6 

<' 

8 

1417 

"4 

132 


IhUui. 
IhUm. 


Dic9» 


PictcrdeVVictc  credit.       'tiacr  1600. 

Ptr(^ffeci>IVtrfihtnen  10  fmiiu  i6oofol.  .t 
Pncajfttptycrfehtmn  s  Iktiui  ifioo/«/.  4 


Pirtupilaflf'l-  ihifr^tjltltbyjltteynn  ite/in 


Sommi 


Simme 


360 

8 

100 

0 

560 

8 

4^8 

0 

1008 

8 

10 

luniiu- 

8 

IuUm. 

R 

lutim. 

It 

oM. 

J' 

Dictm. 

lacqucs  de  Somer  credit,     t  laer  1 6oQ. 

Pefculfioptiirfthtnm  t  MurrtetSoOfil.  4  .  . 

PercaJPeopfperfchenfni  }vj,terte  i6oofot.  ^ 
Pnoffeopttirfchmm  y  7tleyt\6oofol.'^  .  . 

Ptr  (ojfe  opt  tnjchtnin  1  o  OBobrit  1 6  0  0^/.  1 8         • 


PneOpiiMlfil.  I  hurgfptU  bjJUte  ym  difm 


Stmmi 


tsmmt 


^ 

$ 

100 

0 

90 

5 

10 

0 

J01 

J 

841 

8 

?4 

18 

S99 

6 

13 

% 

o 

o 
o 

•» 


0 

Ittnua . 

loos  Noirot  credit,      t  lacr  1600. 

Pertiipitail  yirfihjnenje  j  Mutrte  tioofil.  z 


13 


Davit  Rods  credit.       't  lacr  i(5oo. 

VerfApitari  ytrfrhjnfrtde  i  M&yt  i  600  fol.  x  • 

Piriutnyirfthjntrde  iH  invim  i6jo/»Z.  6 


Sommr 


150 

IIS 

0 
< 

4 

D 
JO 
11 

Tmtu.i. 
Miyf. 

AernoLitlacobs  credit.          tiaer 

Percapifael  rerfchyjmdc  10  .Jpfil  1  CoofoL  i 

Per  >i-i-ffkcycie» ptittien  veifchjienJe  "^o  Itmim  1600 

Per  ycr/ihrfdtnpartien  iitrjib-fncndc  1 1  Srjit.  1 600 

1600. 
Stmme 

la, 

1  5T 

1  01  1 

1427 

133 


i6 


ftiru 

MdtTtt 

Miyt. 
Sunitid. 
Dnnt. 


Oncoflfn  van  Coomfchap  dejbct.  't  lacr  1600. 


I'rrea/fefol,  } 
Ptrc/fifol.  J 
Ptrctffeftl.  5 
Frrmffefct,  5 
Pirenffefil.  f 
Pn  C4ffefcl.  I  9 


Stnme 


oC 

cB 

0 

1 

10 

5 

1 0 

ie 

0 

57 

7 

— . 

ttind. 
Mderle 

Iioiiiu, 
Dtetm. 


Oncoftcn  vandcn  huyfe  debet. 

Ptrrnjfefil.  J 

PtrcitffrfoU  5  .  .  - 

Percnjjif'l-  {  -  - 

Pfr  M^/o/.  {  -  . 

Pirculfrfiit.  J  - 

Ptr(/iJltftl.t9 


'tiaer  1600, 


Semmi 


3 

1 

6 

6 

6 

0 

7 

0 

5 

0 

80 

0 

107 

10 

IS 


InlilU. 
.Aug. 
Stpl. 


Caffe  debet. 


tIaer  16^00. 


Pirfietymtaffefil.  f, '/  *>tU\Jjer imreJit^tknchtyva 
Per  .^tneiit  UetB/infil.  \  f  .  .  _ 

Ptrrif^imngyitnyriiip  tnrttUtifcl.  i^ 
Pit  Idcquei  de  Stmerftl.  1  j 


.^immt 


di 

^ 

1  00  0 

lOo  0 

4 

0 
0 

3 

7 

J9ii 

18 

3' 
3' 

DtCttH. 

Dlitm. 
DKtm. 

Rckening  van  vvinften  verlies  debet.  1600. 

Perctjfefcl.lt)             -                  .... 

Ptr  jltrnnul  lacelt/tnfit.  if 

Per  encopen  Van  cccm/ihjpfat.  17- 

Ptr  mcojimymiitnhityftfi'l.  17 

Stmmt 

Peretpitattfil.  ■jtitriefltltbyjifliyimdf/'m       -       .       - 

Semme 

■  00 
■  1 

57 
107 

3< 

176 

■  J64 

134 


Dtctm 


OncoftenvanCocfrnfchapcredir.  "tlajr  1600. 

Prr  rr\(iiiiig  >4i»  tyinfin  yntinfal.  1 8  hut  gijlrll  bjfttti  fan  dt 
f,n  -  -  ■  ■ 


& 


17 

9 


3' 

Dectm. 

Oiicoftcn  vanden  huy fc  credit,  't  laer  1600. 

Ptrrelftmn^lumvyinJloittrlittfol.iS  hier^tPell  byjlcttyaadt- 
f.n  ■  .  -  - 


107 

to 

f4 

s 

J 

c 


3« 


IhUm. 

Sejit. 

Sept. 

DKtm. 

Decern. 


Decern- 


Cafie  credit. 


'tlicriGoo. 


Pemctenfil,  6 

Perrcl^cnm^  "Van  >p;«/?  en  Vet'tleffiL  I  & 

Per  Licques  de  Somffol.  i  x 

Per  ^Jriaen  de  l^l^irtlerfal.  i  o 

Per  ^ernoKt  laabsful.  i  4 

Per  Oncotlcn  fan  coomfchapfil.  1  ^ 

P<r  0/iciJlea  tAndtahial't  M-  1 5 


Percapiuelfel.  1.  hitrgefiell  h/l'tt  >*»  ^'fi" 


Stmntt 


Sommt 


oe 

J)| 

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0 

■00 

0 

SOo 

0 

•  «5 

0 

101^ 

0 

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0 

80 

0 

ijSi 

0 

«94'» 

7 

^mmm 

39»S 

7 

»9 


o 
o 
o 
o 
o 
o 


Sept. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Decern. 

Decern. 

Decern. 

Decern, 


Rekening  van  vvinft  en  verlies  credit.  1600. 

PerlAcqiiei  deSomerfit.i*  -  -  •. 

Per  ./idriaenje  fainter ftl.  lo 

PercaJfefil.iS  -  -  -  - 

PeryfinHopttitfflenfol.^  -  -  - 

Perypinjiopnotenfol.6  _  -  - 

Per  yyinji  oppeperfil.  6  -  -  " 

PeryyiiiSiop^imberfil.9  .  -  - 

Stmmt 


A 

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8 

iiSi 

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135 


D  O  M  E  r  N  E. 
Reftanten  van  Hoghcnhuyfe. 


»A 


1612 

1613 

1615 


i6n 

800-0-0 
500-  0-0 
370-0-p 
150-  0-0 
70-0-0 


161: 


poo- 0-0 


0-0-0 


I 

515 

600 

-0- 

0 

350 

-0- 

0 

300 

-0- 

0 

1^14 


930-^0-0 
700-0-0 


161% 


5P0  -co 


Den  fin  der  voorfclireven  tafel  is  dufdahich  :  Ghenomen 
d'eerfte  vijf  jaren  van  'velen ,  dattet  houden  der  contrerolle 
gheduert  heeft  J  tevvefen  van  1611.  1611.  1613. 1614. 1615, 
Hieraffijn  vijfcolommen,  voor  elck  jaers  befonder  contre- 
rolle een :  Noch  fijn  op  den  cant  gheftelt  derghelijcke  vijf  ja- 
ren j  haer  anvvijfingh  doende  cpckkder  relren  daernevens 
ftaende  ,  wacr  af 't  ghebniyck  dufdanich  is. 

Ghenomen  datmen  na  het  jacr  1615  wil  weten  de  fommen 
der  Reftantcn  diedcr  fijn  ten  eynde  van  yderjaer,  der  jaren 
i6iu  I  612. 1613. 1614. 1615.  Oindat  te  vinden,  ickfie  dat 
iievens  het  jacr  1(115  op  den  cant  flaen  70-0-0.  onderhet  jaer 
1 61  ]  -, Daer  na  o  -o  -  o.onder  1612  j voorts  300  onder  1(^13  .En  Co 
voorts  700-0-  o.ondcri6i4.en  590-o-o.ondcri6i5.Angaen- 
de  voorfchreveno-  0-0.  flaendenevens  het  j*ir  i6i5,en  dat 
onder  1612,  fulcx  beteyckent  het  jaer  1612  heel  voldaen  te  vve- 
fcn,  fonder  daer  na  van  dat  jaers  rekening  ccnighe  Reflanten 
ineectc  connen  vallcn. 

O  1  Het 


136 


RICHARD  DAFFORNE  PARTLY  REPRODUCED 

In  the  Library  of  Congress  and  in  the  Library  of  Harvard  College,  we  find  a  book  by  Gerard  Malynes, 
printed  in  London  in  1656,  under  the  title  of  "Consuetudo  Vel  Lex  Mercatoira,"  or  "The  Ancient  Law 
Merchant."  This  book  is  a  voluminous  work,  written  in  the  English  language,  one-half  of  which  contains 
a  digest  of  the  law  merchant  as  then  existing ;  the  other  half  of  the  volume  is  occupied  by  a  reprint  of 
Richard  Dafforne's  book  on  bookkeeping,  "The  Merchants'  Mirrour."  It  also  contains  an  introduction 
to  merchants '  accounts,  by  John  Collins,  together  with  a  treatise  by  Abraham  Liset  of  Ghent,  called  ' '  Am- 
phithalami  or  the  Accomptants  Closet." 

We  have  seen  that  Richard  Dafforne  was  really  the  first  writer  in  the  English  language  whose  work 
went  through  several  editions  and  therefore  may  be  considered  as  having  been  more  popular  than  that  of 
his  predecessors  Ympyu,  Oldcastle,  Mellis,  and  Peele.  Dafforne  resided  for  a  good  many  years  in  Holland, 
where  he  obtained  his  knowledge  of  bookkeeping.  He  was  a  teacher  in  the  Dutch  and  English  languages, 
and  in  bookkeeping.  Part  of  his  treatise  called  ' '  The  Merchants '  Mirrour ' '  was  written  in  Amsterdam  be- 
fore he  moved  to  London.  The  preface  to  his  book  indicates  his  familiarity  with  the  then  existing  books  on 
bookkeeping,  as  he  names  quite  a  number.  Most  of  the  authors  of  these  books  he  discredits,  but  he  seems 
to  think  highly  of  Simon  Stevin,  whom  he  copied  in  a  number  of  instances.  Simon  Stevin,  however,  was 
a  great  scholar,  whereas  Dafforne  evidently  was  but  a  shallow  teacher,  for  while  he  quotes  freely  from 
Stevin  on  the  most  important  points,  yet  he  omits  to  bring  home  the  force  of  the  question  as  Stevin  does. 
Thus  through  Dafforne's  faulty  transfer  of  the  bookkeeping  ideas  of  the  Dutch  authors  into  the 
English  language,  we  have  lost  the  very  essence  and  foundation  of  the  theory  of  bookkeeping.  Any 
one  reading  Stevin  first  and  then  Dafforne,  will  have  no  trouble  in  arriving  at  this  conclusion.  It  is 
like  the  reading  of  a  letter  from  an  experienced  old  man,  followed  by  the  treatment  of  the  same  subject 
by  a  high  school  student. 

In  the  following  pages  we  are  giving  a  partial  reproduction  of  Dafforne 's  book,  consisting  of  the  title 
page,  the  introduction,  about  half  of  the  text,  and  a  few  pages  of  the  journal  and  ledger,  together  with  the 
entire  trial  balance.  We  are  omitting  part  of  the  text,  because  it  is  simply  a  repetition  of  previously  men- 
tioned methods,  applied  to  numerous  mercantile  transactions.  All  of  the  text  in  which  he  attempts  to  give 
some  theory  or  explanations,  we  have  reproduced.  It  will  at  once  be  seen  that  Dafforne  was  great  at  ex- 
plaining HOW  a  thing  should  be  done,  but  incapable  of  expressing  clearly  why  a  thing  should  be  done. 
He  has  attempted  this  in  one  or  two  places,  and  failed  signally.  We  are  reproducing  so  much  of  his  book, 
because,  as  explained  before,  we  believe  that  in  Pacioli,  Manzoni,  Ympyn,  Stevin,  and  Dafforne  we  have 
the  gradual  steps  of  the  transfer  of  bookkeeping  knowledge,  within  a  little  over  one  hundred  years,  from 
the  Italian  through  the  Dutch  into  the  English ;  unless,  indeed,  the  Dutch  transferred  their  knowledge  to 
America,  direct  through  the  settlers  of  New  Amsterdam  (now  New  York). 

At  the  time  of  Dafforne's  writing,  Englisli  mercantile  customs  and  bookkeeping  methods  certainly 
were  in  a  bad  way,  judging  by  Dafforne's  own  words  and  complaints.  There  is  an  entire  absence  in  the 
journal  and  ledger  of  references  to  the  Deity,  although  the  text  is  full  of  them.  Dafforne  even  quotes  in 
the  language  in  which  it  was  written  a  Dutch  dissertation  on  "God,  the  Giver  of  all  good,  all  knowl- 
edge, and  all  wisdom." 

He  explains  that  a  merchant  in  Amsterdam  uses  a  cash  book  and  a  bank  book,  because  his  ledger  and 
journal  are  always  behind  in  posting,  otherwise  "the  ledger  might  cause  the  avoidance  of  the  use  of  these 
two  books."  He  urges  the  use  of  a  petty  expense  book,  the  totals  of  which  are  posted  once  a  month  or 
quarterly,  in  order  to  avoid  numerous  small  entries.   $^.^4, -..■,..>■.. - 

Wliat  Pacioli  calls  the  memorandum  book  he  calls  a  waste  book,  because  he  says  everything  is  trans- 
ferred from  it  into  the  journal,  and  when  this  is  done  it  is  useless  to  preserve  it.  In  Holland  they  do  not 
preserve  it.  The  inventory  and  the  trial  balance  are  not  written  in  this  waste  book,  because  they  contain 
information  of  a  private  nature.  Blotting  or  erasures  in  the  journal  are  improper.  He  puts  his  slanting 
lines  (//)  in  the  left-hand  margin  of  the  waste  book,  in  order  to  indicate  the  transfer  to  another  book,  and 
he  evidently  prefers  this  method  to  the  diagonal  line  drawn  through  the  entries,  because,  as  he  says,  "it  ob- 
scures the  writing  and  the  figures."  Checking  of  the  journal  and  ledger  he  calls  "re-pointing,"  using 
the  translation  of  the  old  Italian  expression  of  "lancing"  or  "pointing"  as  explained  elsewhere  under 
Pacioli.     Dafforne,  however,  does  not  say  how  he  does  it. 

137 


He  does  not  use  the  expressions  "debit"  or  "credit"  throughout  his  books,  but  names  them  debitor 
and  creditor.  He  charges  the  one  and  discharges  the  other.  He  insists  that  nothing  can  be  entered  in  the 
ledger  unless  it  is  first  entered  in  the  journal.  This  includes  the  forwarding  of  balances  from  a  full  page 
to  a  new  page  also  the  closing  entries  for  profit  or  loss,  and  the  balancing  of  the  accounts. 

Inventory  he  says  consists  of  stock  or  estate  or  capital  of  the  owner,  which  consists  of  ' '  increasing  im- 
properly" and  "decreasing  improperly"  of  the  stock  or  estate.  He  attempts  to  explain  what  the  word 
"improperly"  means  by  quoting  from  Stevin,  but  he  missed  entirely  what  Steviu  meant,  as  he  applies  it 
wrongly. 

He  uses  the  word  "stock"  wherever  Stevin  uses  the  word  "capital."  As  the  word  "stock"  comes  evi- 
dently from  stick  or  stem,  it  really  has  the  same  origin  as  the  word  ' '  capital, ' '  as  through  all  the  defini- 
tions and  derivations  of  the  word  "stock"  the  thought  of  "main"  or  "principal"  seems  to  appear.  From 
this  we  might  state  that  capital  stock  is  really  tautology,  for  the  two  words  mean  the  same  thing. 

In  explaining  the  fii'st  journal  entry  "cash  debitor  to  stock,"  he  personifies  the  cash  account,  because 
it  "represents  (to  me)  a  man."  He  indicates  the  meaning  of  debitor  by  stating  that  by  reason  of  giving 
the  cash  to  the  man,  he  is  obliged  to  "render  it  back,"  or,  as  we  have  seen  in  Italian,  "shall  give."  He 
indicates  the  meaning  of  creditor  by  mentioning  the  words  "upon  confidence,"  or,  as  we  have  seen  in  Ital- 
ian "trusting."  In  spite  of  his  quoting  so  freely  from  Stevin,  and  coming  so  near  to  what  Stevin  says, 
Dafforne  has  failed  entirely  to  transfer  to  posterity  the  idea  of  the  real  reason  for  a  double  entry  or  two 
debits  and  two  credits.  The  nearest  he  comes  to  it  is  by  stating  that  cash,  merchandise,  and  all  we  possess 
are  but  "members  of  that  whole  body  {stocke),  therefore  by  the  joint  meeting  of  all  those  members  the 
body  (stocke)  is  made  compleat."  Thus  it  goes  through  the  entire  book,  always  how  but  never  why,  the 
very  opposite  of  Stevin. 

Merchandise  of  large  size  and  quantities  is  always  kept  iu  a  separate  account,  designated  by  the  name 
of  the  merchandise  it  deals  in.  If,  however,  the  merchandise  consists  of  small  articles  of  which  but  a  few 
are  handled,  the  account  is  called  a  general  merchandise  account.  He  credits  a  legacy  in  one  place  to 
stock  or  capital  account,  and  in  several  other  places  direct  to  the  profit  and  loss  account.  Debitors  he  calls 
those  "of  whom  we  are  to  have,"  or  in  other  words,  as  written  in  the  Italian,  those  who  "shall  give." 
Creditors  he  caUs  "  debt-demanders  "  and  as  far  as  inventory  items  are  concerned,  he  says  that  stocke  is 
debitor  to  these  debt-demanders. 

He  says  that  through  a  personal  or  private  ledger  you  can  keep  a  secret  of  a  person's  present  worth 
or  estate.  He  is  very  emphatic  in  denouncing  the  use  of  the  cash  account  for  this  purpose,  as  he  states 
three  Dutchmen  do  in  their  treatise,  namely,  Waninglien,  Buiugha,  and  Carpenter.  Here  he  again  barely 
rubs  elbows  with  Stevin 's  ideas  of  proprietorship.  He  flays  the  three  Dutchmen  for  promulgating  ideas 
as  "book  deforming"  instead  of  "book  reforming,"  and  he  calls  their  ideas  " indefendable  errour," 
"forged  imagineries, "  "forrain  bred  defects."  He  further  says:  "If  we  were  as  exact  discussors  as  we 
are  imitators,  we  had  not  been  so  besotted  as  to  entertain  those  forrain  defects,  having  better  at  home."  It 
should  be  noted  that  elsewhere  he  praises  Stevin,  and  nowhere  does  he  flay  him  like  the  above  three  Dutch- 
men, yet  had  Dafforne  been  less  of  a  discusser  and  more  of  an  imitator,  he  would  have  presented  Stevin 's 
exact  theories  without  fault,  and  thus  preserved  them  for  us  in  the  English  language  as  Stevin  did  for 
his  Dutch  countrymen. 

He  gives  15  rules  each  for  journalizing  debits  and  credits,  but  he  personifies  everything  to  debitor 
and  creditor.  In  the  ledger  he  uses  a  double  column,  one  for  money,  the  other  for  quantities  and  weights. 
Cash  disco\mts  he  deducts  from  cost  of  merchandise,  whereas  rebates  are  credited  to  profit  and  loss.  Thus  he 
disagrees,  as  he  says,  with  Passchier  Goossens,  Johannes  Buingha,  J.  Carpenter,  and  Henry  Waninghen. 
Dafforne  'succeeded  here  through  his  faulty  reasoning,  in  mixing  up  things  to  such  an  extent  that  many 
minds  today  are  still  mixed  up  on  this  subject.  Waninghen  and  Carpenter  want  to  carry  trades  of  mer- 
chandise through  the  cash  account.  Rightly  he  objects  to  this,  for  cash  he  says  should  have  no  entry  un- 
less money  is  really  paid  or  received. 

He  does  not  call  in  his  text  the  difference  between  the  debits  and  the  credits  "the  balance,"  as  we  do 
today.  He  says  deduct  the  lesser  from  the  greater,  and  make  a  journal  entry  for  "the  difference."  In  his 
ledger  accounts,  however,  he  does  not  call  it,  like  the  Italians  do,  "difference  "  but  he  caUs  it  "balance  to 
close."  He  uses  the  word  "equalizing"  -where  we  now  use  "balancing,"  the  same  as  we  translated  Paci- 
oli's'word  "soldo"  into  "equalizing"  or  "closing."  The  closing  of  the  ledger  he  calls  "ballaucing  of  the 
leager,"  or  "  leagers-conclusion. "  Like  Stevin  he  claims  that  the  ledger  needs  to  be  balanced  when  new 
books  are  started,  or  when  the  merchant  ceases  to  trade  or  the  owner  dies.  Balancing,  he  says,  consists  of 
three  things,  the  equalizing  of  aU  open  accounts,  the  entering  of  the  difference  and  transferring  of  the 
same  to  the  new  accoiuit  or  to  the  balance  account.  He  does  not  like  the  word  "balancing,"  and  prefers 
to  call  it  "estate  reckoning,"  the  same  as  Stevin  does,  and  in  this  connection  he  refers  to  Stevin  by  saying 
that  Stevin  carries  his  closing  balances  into  his  opening  capital  account,  which  he  calls  contradictory,  and 
merely  a  mistake  on  Stevin 's  part.  The  balancing  is  divided  into  a  trial  balance  and  a  true  balance;  the 
trial  balance  consists  of  debits  and  credits  of  the  open  ledger  accounts  before  profit  and  loss  entries  are 
made.  He  published  in  Amsterdam  a  "  three-f old-mony-ballauce, "  which  we  have  reproduced  further  on. 
The  true  balance  he  says  consists  of  the  "remainders"  of  the  ledger  accounts  after  profit  and  loss  entries 
have  been  made. 

It  should  be  noted  that  he  says  "remainders,"  as  does  Pacioli,  and  not  "balances,"  as  we  use 
today.     The  remainders  of  the  accounts  he  puts  in  the  true  balance  on  the  same  side  as  they  are  in 

138 


the  ledger ;  uamely  if  cash  is  debit  in  the  ledger  it  should  be  debit  iu  the  true  balance,  for  he  says,  balance 
is  a  debitor  in  tlie  place  of  cash.  He  gives  a  detailed  explanation  of  how  to  close  accounts  kept  in  foreign 
money,  and  to  take  care  of  the  profit  or  loss  in  the  exchange  at  tlie  time  of  closing.  Wliile  he  exhibits  a 
balance  account  and  makes  journal  entries  in  order  to  close  all  accounts  in  this  balance  account,  he  is  very 
particular  in  explaining  that  such  a  pi'ocedure  is  not  needed  if  you  desire  to  use  the  balance  book  in  the 
nature  of  private  information.  In  that  case,  he  says,  post  direct  from  the  old  account  in  the  old  ledger  to 
the  new  account  in  the  new  ledger. 

The  illustrations  given  of  the  journal  will  show  that  all  entries  are  numbered,  that  he  uses  "debitor 
to"  instead  of  "debit  per,"  as  Stevin  uses.  Neither  does  he  use  the  slanting  lines  (//)  so  customary  in 
the  Italian  metliod,  for  a  division  between  the  debit  and  the  credit,  although  but  one  column  is  given.  The 
ledger  page  references  iu  the  journal  are  written  in  the  form  of  a  fraction,  as  Pacioli  mentions.  Ledger 
headings,  while  not  as  used  at  this  day,  are  more  pronounced  than  the  Italian  method,  and  are  almost 
identical  to  Stevin 's  ideas. 

In  the  ledger  accounts  herewith  reproduced,  "to"  is  used  on  the  debit  side  and  "by"  on  the  credit. 
The  journal  page  is  also  given  as  well  as  the  ledger  folio  of  the  relative  entry  in  the  other  part  of  the 
ledger.  Both  sides  of  the  ledger  bear  the  same  number  of  the  page,  and  they  are  called  folio.  He  does 
not  use  the  word  "sundries,"  in  the  journal  nor  in  the  ledger,  nor  does  he  use  a  sub-total  in  balancing  his 
ledger  accounts,  as  Stevin  does,  but  uses  in  front  of  the  total  the  Italian  word  "summe."  Nowhere  in  his 
work  does  he  use  the  term  "assets  and  liabilities."     He  uses  dots  instead  of  check  marks. 


139 


THE 


MERC  HANTS 
M I R  R  O  U  R. 

D   I   R    E   C   T  I    O    N    S 

For  the  pcrfea:  Ordering  and  Keeping  of  his 
ACCOUNTS. 

Framed  by  way  of  D  e.b  i  t  o  r  and  Creditor,  after  the 

ffo  termed)  Italian  Manner  :  Containiog  2  50  ^are  Queftions, 
With  their  Anfwers,  in  forme  of  a  Dialogue. 

AS  iIKE»f/S£ 

A  WASTE-BOOK,   wich  a  complete   Journal  and  L eager,  thereunto  appertaining; 

Unto  the  which  I  have  annexed  two  other  ivafie- Books  hi  &xt:dk  of  the  Studiom:  and  at  the 

end  ofeach  is  entred  the  brief  Contents  of  the  Leagers  KccomiSy  arifuig  from  thence. 

AHV     ALSO 

A  MONET  H-B  O  O  K ,  very  requifice  for  Merchants ,  and  commodious  for  all  other 
^C/£X,C£-Z'0r£"2<^"?  of  this  Famous  Art. 


the  Third  Edition^  Corrccied  and  Amended. 


CompUed  by  Richard   DAFFORNBof  Nerthampton,  Accsuntant,  and 
Teacher  of  the  fame ,  after  an  Exquifite  Method ,  in  the 
Englifh  and  Dutch  Language, 


J.  Vahden  V. 

g>oo  eenigl)  litljt^tJerifpttH)  ^mn, 
sppn  toetfe  bcracht,  off  fotcto  fonteeren, 
Dte  mattbtt  bccter,  §>oo  ftp  fean  : 
'jafttbb  ©Mote  luft  hoc!)  meet  tc  Ceeten. 

H.  L.  S-. 

iDoajeelt  iemant  Dooj  Ijct  ilee  jtn ; 
i^iet  goet  ban  [?n  iJDoiDcl  tocc^en. 

iieercnoe,  Icett  itfe. 


The  Contents  are  inmediatelj  prefixed  before  the  Book. 


LONDON, 

Printed  by  it.//,  and  ^.G.  for  Nicholas  Bourn,  at  the  South-entrance  of  the 

Royall  Exchange,  1660. 


140 


TO   THE 

RIGHT  HONOU  RABLE 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFULL 

GOVERN  OURS, 

FELL  o'w  S  H  I   f 

'Merchants  Adventurers  of  England. 
Englijb  Merchants  for  the  Di [cover)  of  Ncm  Trades. 
Merchants  of  Eafi-land. 
OF"?  Merchants  of  England ,  trading  into  the  Levant  Seat, 
Merchants  of  London ,  trading  into  the  Eajl- Indies. 

Adventurers  of  the  Ciiy  of  London ,  for  a.  Trade  ufon  the  Coafis  and  In- lands 
of  divers  parts  of  America. 

Richard    DAFFORNEfo  wiilieth  your  Undevftandings 
Illuminatron  ,  in  yoiir  Terreftriall  Talents  Adminiftration  ,  that 

with  comfort  you  may  hear  the  joyfall  Sentence  of  your  twice  com- 
mended fervice,  Ai^t.  25.  Ver.-ii,  23. 

Well  done  thou  good ,  and  faithful!  fervant  true. 
Thou  hafl  been  faithfull  over  things  a  few^ 
lie  make  thee  Ruler  over  ntanj  things^ 
Foffeffe  the  joy  of  thy  Lord,  King  of  Kings, 

Right   Honourable,  ^c. 

^^Fcer  many  yeers  refidenceat  Amfterdam  in  Holland,  I  (upon 
~  the  often  Importunate  Letters  of  fome  Merchants,  my  very 
good  Friends}  refolved  to  pitch  the  Tent  of  my  abode  in  Lon- 
don^ which  being  eflfeded  in  Anm  1630. 1  then  (after  fome  reft^ 
fecmycourfe  untofeverall  Stationers  Shops  ^  there  gazing  a- 
i>out  me  fas  one  reviving  from  a  Trance)  to  view  what  the  Laborious  Artift 
had  aded  and  divulged  m  Print  (as  other  Nations)  fortheAlTiftance  of  Mer- 
chandizing, wherewith  (Blessed  be  the  Great  ALL;  this  Renowned 
City  is  throughly  Enterlaced,  and  Adorned. 

Eat  as  a  Shipper  anchoring  upon  an  unknown  Ile,prefentiy  pcrceiveth  thoft 

a  i  f ai ts 

141 


The   Epijlle  Dedicatory, 


parts  not  to  be  inhabited,  by  the  TSlon-tillagc,  or  the  like  j  even  fo  (contrary  to 
my  expectation)!  perceiving  the  number  of  Writers  to  be  few,teared  chat  love 
tochisArtwashkewifefmalhSEEiNGTHATGooD  Acceptance  Engen- 
DERETH  Go  CD  Performance.  The  truth  of  this  lean  dVfrre  with  ma- 
ny Inftances  in  fevierall  Authors;  as  Vorefiam,  John  Jmpen  ^  Cioot ^  Menn- 
her  ^  S<f\mne  ^  NicholiU  fieterfon,  (^ntergem  ^  Marten  Vanden  J^jck  ^  Hoor- 
beck,  <vmTKimme^  Wencelms^  Coutenels^  Simon  Ste\nn^  IohnlVillemJ(in,y^amnghen^ 
TaJJdk,  Coojjen^  and  divers  others ,  whofe  Books  are  extant.  By  which 
may  evidently  be  con je<5tured, that  in  thofe  times,and  in  their  parts  wherethey 
then  publifhed  their  Works,  were  found  many  Sdwce-/oVm  that  affesSted  this 
Art;  by  whofe  allurements  thofe  worthy  Writers  were  induced  to  fee  Pen  to 
Paper,  endeavouring  with  their  bcft  gifts  to  fatisfie  the  defire  of  thole  Art-defi- 
rers. 

The  Merchants  of  the  Low-countries  (of  whom  I  can  fpeak  in  part)  bein^ 
generally  enamoured  of  this  Art;becaufeof  its  Ucility,aliure  their  Teachers  to 
induftry,  by  applauding  their  Vigilancy;  encouraging  them  (with  the  pre- 
fence  of  their  Children  and  Servants  in  theSchoolesj  daily  to  publifh  new 
Queflions ;  or  arleaftto  revive  the  profitable  Labours  of  ancient  Authors, 
making  ihem  fit  for  out  times. 

But  we,alas,the  fmall  love  (pardon  my  truth  fpeaking)  that  a  great  part  of 
our  Merchants  bear  to  this  Science,  daunteth  the  Pen  of  Induftry  in  our  Tea- 
chers,making  thenfi  with  a  fufpe<5tive  fear  to  doubt(&;  not  altogether  ground- 
lefs)  that  the  profit  will  not  countervail  their  pains ;  by  which  means  Teachers^ 
Merchants y  and  therefore  Touth^  are  linked  in  A,ts  enemies  J}?ackles. 

What  may  be  thecaufe  of  this  Ignorance  ?  Are  our  Teachers  (b  infufficient  ? 
Or  hath  dafueTSlature^  with  her  G^ji^jke  or  induftry  beflowed  her  Benevo- 
lence more  fparingly  upon  our  Nation  than  upon  others?  The  laft  cannot  be; 
for  we  can  learn  it  exquifitly  abroad  of  other  Nations  (as  multitudes  can  wit- 
nefsjwby  not  at  home?!  anrwcr,as  before,becau(e  at  home(for  want  of  love  to 
this  Art)  many  Merchants  arc  infufficient  ^refidents  xo  their  Servants,  who  by 
iheir  Documents  can  be  but  Eijtiiyahit  Imitators.  Want  of  love  to  this  -^rt^  is 
thecaufe  why  James  ^eele,  and  others  that  have  written  in  Englifh  upon  this 
fubjed:,  are  knowne  by  l^ame  onely^  and  not  by  Imitation.  Yea,  even  the  me- 
mory of  their  Thames  dkth,  being  there  is  no  caufe  to  commit  their  painfull 
Labours  to  the  ^ame-reVtying  Prefs.  How  then  fhall  our  Youth  attain  unto 
this  Art,  but  by  frequenting  abroad  amongft  other  nations  ?   And 

They  being  then  at  Q^ome^ 
Will  do  as  there  is  done. 

This  ftupidity  cannot  be  imputed  to  our  Teachers :  for  if  at  home  (as  other 
people  do)  we  did  by  Love' allure,  and  with  (2^m(j;-^  induce  each  other  to  Arc 
by  a  competent  Difpenfation  amongft  our  felves,  of  that  money  which  wc 
beftow  abroad  amongft  Aliens^  then  would  our  Teachers  be  vigilant,  cuv  Land 
adorned  with  this  Knowledge,  and  our  Youth  fhould  not  need  to  be  tranfl 
ported  into  other  Countries  for  y^rts  documents. 

Againft  the  forefaid   Ignorance  I  have  emboldened   ?ny  felf  to  prepare 

this 
142 


'The  Epijlle  IDedicatorj. 


this /<«f»■^o^^ being  by  lv(^fK/T  obliged  to  offer  up  pare  of  xh^mdomi  Mte  o^ 
ray  knowledg  unto  the  U>d  of  my  'Breaths  frjl  dramng. 

Divers  are  the  humours  o^  men  therefore  there  is  but   fmall    Probability 
to  pleafeallryeLtocndeavouc  a  generall  fatisfaaxon  is  uiiblameable. 

My  intent  is  not  to  prefcribe  thefe  ^mcifles  as  fully  fufftcienc,  though 
for  their  K^mkr  approveable:  for  time  at  prefent  doth  not  yield  permiffion  to 
impart  what  my  Affeftions  dcfircd,  and  Will  determined  to  divulge ,  but  thel^ 
atcAHmments  onely,  to  ftir  up  the  better  exi>srienecd  to  amend  whae  I  (through 
want  of  Art)  have  not  fo  compleatly  handled  as  I  defire,  and  it  dererves,bemg 
an  Art  Cfaith  Simon  SteVmin  his  Princely  Book-keeping, /"o/. 7,0*  1 2.)  worthy  to 
be  numbredamongft  the  LJ^^r4// Sciences.  But  1  already  hear  Objedions  a- 
painft  the  Firft  &  Second  Waftebooks ;  that  therein  are  exercifed  fome  accounts, 
which  are  altogether  needlefie  here  m  Engknd :  as  is  the  ^Mk-AccountA  grant  it 
to  bean  Account  notufefullin  ourKingdomejbut  that  the  knowledge  thereof 
(liould  be  un-ufefuU  to  thii  Arts-Learners,  1  deny.  True  it  is  that  by  S^rrt  we 
are  Circumfevenced  r.ith  tk  Ocean  ,  but  the  Great- All  hath  not  fo  ftnaly  limited  us 
within  the  \)Ounds  thereof,  that  we  are  abridged  from  the  ConVerfmon  and  En- 
tcrcourk  ofMeichandi^n^  with  forrain  Nations ,  as  well  by  their  frequenting  ot 
our  Mers  as  we  Commercing  with  them  in  the  Body  of  their  Coupes.  And 
when  our  Merchants  (Old  or  Young)  trade  with  them  in  their  places,w«y?  noi 
thy  team  t9  k  acquainted  mth  tkir  ^hrafes  ufed  among  them  concerning  Commerce? 
Of  which  Banqk  is  none  of  the  Icaft  in  feverall  places  of  Europe,  Unto  which 
our  Englifli  Merchants  hav/etheit  Concourfe.  And  muft  the  advertifementot 
the  Co4  thereof  (before  we  come  to  the  A  '^uallexercife)  bea  mnvjb^md  ac- 
counted as  a  needleffe  thtn^  in  my  Book  ?  <l^ght  Worsts  beho  d  the  Rancor  of 
black  Envy  thar  endeavoureth  to  have  us  ignorant  of  Martiall  affairs,  untill  we 
cometothepointofBattaiLThelikeObjeaionisallcagedagainftmyemring 

of  an  Account  of  Tim?  and  %eady.mony.  What  if  we  have  them  not  in  ule  a- 
mongft  our  felves  ?  Let  us  caft  up  our  accounts  with  other  K^mm  and  (to  our 
coft)  they  will  teach  us  how  to  frame  an  account  oitime  md^eadymony  ->f  our 
Faaor  or  Correfbondent  be  in  disburfe  for  us  any  quantity  ot  mony  ,  and  tor 
Time  worth  the  reckoning,  as  experience  hath  fliewed  me  in  many  paffiges. 
And  what  then  ?  Muft  not  we  feck  the  aid  of  fome  experienced  to  affi ft  us  ?  be- 
caufe  we  regarded  not  the  documents  of  them  (at  home)  that  endeavoured  to 
inform  us  of  the  Manner  and  Matter.  What  Amercement  doth  not  this  mfdm-mr- 

thy  wilful!  Ignorance  merit  ?  zr     1     n 

A2ain,the  keeping  of  an  account  of  Time  and  Ready-mony  (fay  they)may 
be  avoided  with  an  dccount  Currant,-  or  a  General  acctiunt,  upon  whlchls  entred 
m^tzasBought^Sold^Dra^n^Hermedfiiyenpt  Taken  upon  Deporito,and  the  like: 
of  which  manner  I  am  no  way  ignorant.Butlet  us  come  to  the  P€riod,or  Foot 
of  that  General  account  ^^nd  there  the  Concludon  Qieweth.that  I  amDEB  itor 
to  another,  or  the  Contrary  :  how  fhall  1  t^nd  (l(eady-money  thatat  prclent  I  am  to 
rem^eov^ay  upon  that  account? 


143 


OPINION    OF    BOOK-KEEPINGS 
A   N  T  I  j^U  I  T  7. 


Good  Friend  of  mine  (taith  Simon  SteVen)  being  exerci- 
fed  in  the  Old  Hiflor'm^  did  fee  this  forme  of  Book-keep 
ing  (imeaning  his  ownej  befotc  it  was  perfefted  in  the 
l^refle  ;  he  was  of  judgement  that  it  had  not  been  ufed 
in  ifd/y, .  but  about  two  hundred  years  :  But  that  the  fame, 
or  one  in  many  parts  very  like  this,,  was  u(ed  in  the  time 
of  Juluis  Cafar,  and  in  Rome  long  before  ,•  and  that  fome  Reliques  of 
Ancient  time  are  come  to  the. hands  of  them,  that  of  late  have  received 

it  again. 

Which  Opinion  1  thought  not  to  be  un-befecming,  the  rather,  becaufe 
itfeemeth  ftrange,  that  fo  exquifite  a  Deep -diving-Science  Qiould  be  invent- 
ed fo  lately  :  But  be  it  as  it  will,  I  will  enter  the  Opinion  of  my  abovc- 
faid  Friend,  who  faith,  that 

In  place  of  the  proper  words  rtow  ufed  in  the  Italian-book-keeping,  foi 
merly  other  of  the  like  fignification  were  ufed  :  as  thefe, 


fDebt-book,  Great- book,  or  Leager- 
I  Debitor  and  Creditor  ■ 


For  <;  Parcells  tranfported  into  the  Leager 
I  Parcells  not  tranfported 


-  TabuU  accept  ^  expenjt. 

-  Accepum  o"  expenfum. 

■  Nomina  tra/ijlata  in  TaiuLut 

■  Nomeniaccnst 

-  Adversaria. 


iWafte-book,  or  perhaps  Journall  — 

All  which  (faith  he)  is  apparent  in  innuirjerable  places  of  the  Latine  Wri- 
ters, but  efpecially  ex  Oratione  Ciceronk  pro  (l^fcio  Comado.  And  that  the  onC 
fide  of  theirBook'was  ufed  for  Debitor ^  the  other  for  Creditor ^  is  manifeft 
(faith  he)  in  a  certain  place,  ISlatmalii  hljloru  fliniij  lib.  2^  cap.'j*  where  he 
fpeaking  of  Fortune,  faith  thus : 

Huic  omnia  E  x  p  e  n  s  A. 

Huic  omnia  FerunturAccepta,   &  in  tota  R  A  T  i  o  n  E  Mtrtd- 

Hum  /<?/<«  U  T  R  A  M  QJl  E    P  A  G  I  N  A  M  f'tclt. 

If  others  took  regard  unto  this  matter,  perhaps  further  certainty  might  be 
found,  and  that  this  forme  of  Bookkeeping,  not  onelybythe  Romans, 
but  might  have  been  in  ufe  before  them  amongftthe  Grecians  :  for  being 
theRomans  were  no  great  Inventors,  but  had  their  exquifite  Art  from  the 
Grecians,  it  is  in  reafon  moft  probable  to  come  from  them  ;  whereof  fur- 
ther certainty  might  be  found  in  reading  the  Greek  Hiftories.  Thus  much  in 
Simon  Steyen,  fol.  105, 106.  A  Tuo ic lous 


144 


V  V  V  V 


Briefe  Contents  of  the chiefeft Poims 
contained  in  this  Book. 


I.    \N  Introdudion  unro  the  matter  l>y  wd.y 
•^^ofa  Dtdogue,  pl.ice  1,2,3.  AgaiHy  »m- 

d(r  the  third  and  fourth  place  is  Jpoken, 
2.  o/NeedlelIe-Books,pIace  3.fol.4. 

3.  oftJjc  Calh,4»^Banck-book,pla.4.fol.4. 

4.  of  the  Specie- Book.place  4.tol.4. 

5.  of  the  petty  Expences-Book,pla.4.fol.5. 

6.  of  the  Copy-hook  of  letters, ^h.^.(o\.5 . 

7.  of  the  Memoriall,  and  ufe  thereof^  fol.  5. 

8.  of  the  Copy-Book/^r  accounts  fent  to 
any  tuan^  tol.5. 

9.  of  the  Wafte- Books, /<;r»?  And  office, 
place  5. fol. 6. 

10.  of  the  JoatnMs,matter,formiand  0ffice, 
place8.fol.8. 

11.  of  the  Inventary-r<«^/f,pl.io.fol.8. 

1 2 .  of  the  Ready-  mony  in  Ca(l\and  how  to 
hookit,ph.i^.{o\.9. 

1 3 .  of  the  Mony  in  Banck,rfW^<'ir  to  book 
;V,  place  ly.fol.?,!©. 

14.  o//^e  Unfold- wares,  4f  the  making  of 
tf«^  Inventary^place  27iol.11. 

15.  of  Houses,  Lands,  Rents,  and  Legacies, 
fol.ii. 

16.  of  jewels  ,  Moveables,  Ships-parts, 
fol.  12. 

17.0/  JVdrcs  unfold  for  Fa£iorage  accounts, 
place  3d. fol. 1 2. 

1 8.  of  Wares  unfold  for  company- account , 
place  37.  fol. 13. 

19.  of  Wares  abroad  unfold  for  f  roper  aC' 
««»^,place38.fol.i3. 

20.0/  Wares  abroad  unfeld^fer  his,  or  their 
account ^whofc  Fa^or  /<j/»,place  39. fol.  13. 

11.  of  Wares  abroad  unfold  for  company  ac- 
count,■^hct^^.  fol. 14. 

22.  of  Debitors, of  whom  rveareto  ^4i'f,place 
45- fol.  14. 

23.  ofDcbt-demandeTS,ph./\6So\.l'). 

24.  ofCaJJi^  by  fame  ent red  tn  Stockes  place, 
fol.  1 5. place 47. 

25.  ofS/cckes  concealment,  pla.  52.  fol. 17. 
2  6.  of  Traffickes  contmuall  exercife,  place 

52.ioi.  1 8.  mth  the  chief  accounts  that  are  kept, 
fol  I  p. 

27.  of  Mcs  tf  Aid  ,very  cxquiftieto  be 
learned mthout booJ!,fo\.i9,  20, 


28.  o/"Proper   Accounts,  and 

THE  DEPENDANCES,place63.fol.2I. 

29.  of  Buying  upon  fcverall  conditions  ^phce 
6.  (o\.2 1. including  place  70.  fol.  22. 

30.  of  Barter,  or  Truck,phce  7  2. io). 2  2. in- 
cluding place  75. fol.  23. 

3 1 .  of  Wares  bought  to  b:  delivered  unto  me, 
2.3.  rveekcs  or  monelhs  after  the  agreement, 
place  76.fol.23.  including  place  79.fol.24. 

32.  of  Ships-parts  bought,\->hcc  80.fol.24. 
33'  of  Houfes  bought,  placeSi,  82. fol. 24. 
34.  of  Legacies  ^i"(f/jf,pla.83 ,84.fo.24,2  J. 
3  5 .  Offl)ipping  of  wares  to  fell  for  my  account, 

place  85.  including  phce  91.  fol.25. 

36.  of  Selling,  place  92.  fol.  2$.  including 
placc96.fol.26. 

37.  of  felling  for  other  nares,that  is.  Barter^ 
orTruck,phce  97,9^,99-  fol.26. 

SS.of felling  rvares, to  be  delivered  by  me,2, 
or3.mekes,  or  moneths  after  the  agreement, 
place  100,101,  102.  fol.  26,  27. 

39-  of  Abatements  upon  wares  bought,  place 
103jioj.fol.27. 

40.  of  abatements  upon  rvarcs  fold ,  place 
i04,io6.fol.27.  < 

41.  of  Abatements  fvr  men)  reccivcd,or  paid 
before  the  time,  place  107.fol.27. 

^2,  of  receiving  upon  fcverall  condjtionr, 
place  loS.fol. 38,29. /■«  12.  feverall  Ariicla. 

^3.' of  the  words.  His  account,  and  My  ac- 
count,andthe  difference  thereof ,p\.\09So\.29. 

/\ilt^  of  Gratuities  given,  or  received,  place 
iio'.fol  29. 

45  ■  of  paying  upon  fcverall  conditions,  place 
lil.fol.29,3o'}n9.  Articles. 

46.  of  advice  f>  cm  our  Faclers^  that  the  for- 
mer fent  commodities,  or  part  of  them  are  fold  ■ 
or,  that  part  cf  thofe  ftit  commcdities  are  lo[i 
4//M,pla.ii5,ii4,ii5,ii($,ii7.foi.30.3i. 

47-  of  Relumes  in  wares  from  our  Faff  or, 
place  ii9,i2o.fol.3i. 

^S.of  Riturnes  in  mony  from  our  Faff  or, 
place  i2i.fol.  3i.f5w/>4rrd'>w//;pljce  108. 
Articles, g,io,i\,  12. 

49.0/Factorage  Accounts  and 
THE  Depend ANCESjplace  122. fol. 32. 
50.  ofreceits  of  wares  te  fell  in  commifion, 

place 


145 


The  Contents  of  the  Book. 


place  i2$.iolSi.inclii(ii»g  phce  i28.fol,35. 
hookedmthoai  afa£for-hoh^  4A;i without  an 
account  of  Time,  and  Ready- monv :  as  alfo 
with  an  account  of  Time  and  Reaciy-mony, 
place  i29,i^o.io\.3S. tndfo  offeverdU  r*- 
rietiesjncluding  place  142.fol.35* 

5 1 .  Reccits  of  monj  Remitted  unto  us,  place 
ii\l. including  place  146.fol.j5. 

5  2 .  Recciis  ef  mony  drawn  by  uS,  under  the 

146.pl3ce.fol.35- 

53.  of  Sales  of  commipon  wires  uf  on  ft- 
verall  conditions, ^hce  146.fol.36.  including 
place157.fol.37.. 

'i^.Returnesin  tvaresfcnt  unto  our  Makers ^ 
place  isS.including  place  163.fol.37. 

5  5 .  Returnes  in  mon-j^  remitted  hy  ris  uuto  our 
Ma(lers,  place  164.  and  drawn  Ufon  /«,  place 
165.fol.37.  including  place  168.  fol.  38. 

$6.  of forrain  affaires  in  F average  accotfnt^ 
place  i6p.  fol.38.  including  pla.  173.fo.39. 

57.0/CoMPANv  Accounts,  and 

THE   DapENDANCESjplace  i74fol.  S9' 

58.o//^fStockpraraifedTo  Mee  place 

175.fol.39. 

59.  Receit  ofthepomifed  monj,  place  176. 

fol.3P. 

60.  Receit  of  the  fromifed  rvares,  place  179. 
fol.40. 

6i.Bu)iAg  upon  fever  all  conditions  ^  place 
181.fol.40. 

62.  Wares  fhift  to  another  Land  for  company^ 
place  184.foi.41. 

63.  payments  upn  feverall  conditions y^hce 
i88.fol.41. 

64.  Sales  of  wares  hy  meant  cfmj  Admini- 
ftration,phce  i91.fol.42. 

65 .  Sales  of  wares  by  Fadior,  or  Correfpon- 
dentjplace  194.fol.42. 

66.  Returnes  from  Faflor,  er  Correfpon- 
dent  in  mony  drawn  by  «*,  place  198.  fol.  42. 

67.  Returnes  in  mony  remitted  to  as^  place 
199.  fol. 43. 

68.  Returnes  in  wares  from  Faftor,  or  Cor- 
refpondentjplace  201.fol.43. 

69.  stock  promifed  by  MEE,  to  be  faid  fre- 
femly,^hct  202.fol.43. 

70.  Tran(porting  of  Accounts  in  the  Leager, 
fromene  leafenato  another^'phcQ  207. fol. 44. 

71.  Equalizing  cfOvex^or  Undermeafures, 
Weight,  Leackage,  Pounds,EUs,flr  the  like, 
place  2 1 3. tol.  45. 

72.  Leagers  Conclufton,  or  Sallancmg  of  the 
Leager,Tphce  216. fol.  j^6.  Andthecaufesthat 
fitajpiove  to  a  Generall  Ballance. 

73.  Of  the  TvyzW-BiWzncQiand  the  manner, 
place.2i8Xol46. 


74.  of  the  True  Ballance,  place  221  .fo.47, 

75.  Obferz/alions  in  BaUancingefthe  Leager, 
place  222.fol.47,48,49,5o. 

76.  Particular  obfervattons  upon  the  Debit 
fide  of  the  True- ballance,  place  241.fol.51. 

j'j.  Particular  ohfervations  upon  the  CrediC 
fideofthe  True- Ballance,  place  242  fol.Ji. 

78.  ofthe^ournallsforme,phcs  243.fo.52. 

79.  of  the  Journalls  office,  place  244. 

80.  of  the  ftgnifying  figures  that  flank  above, 
and  tinder  the  lines  in  the  lournalls  margine, 
place  246.foI.  54. 

81.  of  theWafie- books  further  Extrcife^biing 
corripiledin  I,oW(7»,fol.5  5.Lit.J.K.N°.i. 

82.0/  the  compleat  loiirnall  unto  the  faid 
Wafle-book, beginning  Lit.K.N°.2 .  continuing 
Lit.L.M. 

83.  of  the  Kaleiiders/tf;-«i,4«^Ure,Lit.  N. 

8/^,  of  the  compleat  Leager^  depending  upor{ 
the  fore- faid  Wafle-book^and  lournaS,  Lit.  O. 
N%  2.  continuing  Lit.P.Q;R. 

Ss.of  the  Io:nnall^KaUnder,  and  Leager, 
W° .?>.  with  the  order  horv  to  begin  Niw  books ^ 
Lit.S. 

86.  0//^ffirft  Wafte-Book,  entredfor  the 
Beginning  Learner f  eiseici{e,andtaught  by  me^ 
Lit.T.  ^".2.  compiled  in  Amflerdam^whofe 
Contents  (through  the  varieties «/ Titles  »«»*- 
bers)  are  apparent,  and  inflantly  difcemed  bf 
the  Books  Over-view,  containing  78.  Titles, 
differing  from  each  other  in  matter,  for  the  SC' 
gmners  exercife :  andfo  compiled,  that,  the  fur- 
ther be  paQethfthemoremcreafeih  his  Studies 
occafions. 

^■J.Of  the  Kiknder,  and  brie fe  Contents  of 
the  'Lta.gtx, depending  unto  the  faid  Wafle-book, 
Lit.  Bb.N°.  I.  with  athree-foldMoay-Bd- 
hnce  of  the  faid  Ltager^hlt.Cc.]>i\  2. 

88.  of  the  Second  W3As-Book,entredfor  a 
further  Exercife  of  the  Beginner ;  and  taught 
^^w?,  Lit.Dd.N.°.i.  whofe  exqniftte  varie- 
ties cannot  tritely  be  difcemedhut  by  the  work- 
ing of  it ;  which  work  will  require  as  mucfi  feri- 
om  fludy  at  the  very  End,  tti  anfof  the  former 
Proportions:  which  approveth,that  in  his  Lear- 
nings  time  no  wafie  time  is  ffent. 

89.  of  the  Kalender, /i»^  brief  e  Contents  of 
the  Leager,  belonging  unto  the  fecond  Wafle- 
book,  Lit  li.  'H\2.including  Kk.  N°.3. 

90.  o/r^?Faftor-Book,^«^  afe  tijaeafin 
feverall  manfrvrsof  emrances'^\x..K.k.^  .4. 

gi ,  Then  foUoweth a  Table,  whieh  jheweth 
How  to  find  what  the  Principall,  andfimple 
Intereft  of  any  Given,  eiTaktVkfumme  will 
be  at  the  agreed  times  end^  L.'  Mm.N°.  t . 


146 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  FIRST  PLACE. 


SPEAKERS, 

Thilo'  Mathy.  School -'Tamer. 


3 


Phil  rrow  now  School  partner?  Whither  away  thus  folitaty?  it  feems  you  are  in  fome 

BootkeeS/taught  us  by  way%t  Qaeftionsaud  Anfwers,  whereof  I  have  torgottea 
much,  becaufe  I  frequent  not  the  daily  examination, 

Phil.  Very  likely :  For  Exercife  is  the  Preserver  of  Art ;  therefore  do  I  daily  refort  to  the 
examinatL,which  (you  know)  our  Mafter  continually  ufeth :  the  which  not  onely  confir- 
met^what  w^have'Lt  it  is  likewife  m  Augmenur  ofKmwUig,  according  to  the  Motto  of 
Umes  Ved:  Pra^icefroiurethfcrfefiton  . 

Sch  Surely  vou  fay  truth :  Therefore  I  intteat  you  (feeing  we  have  time  and  opportuni- 
tyuoqueftionmeinfuchthingsasatprefent  are.ieadieft  in  yourm.nd-,  beginnmgw^h 
the  firft  grounds  of  out  Matters  Inftrueiions,and  fo  in  brief  fort  to  wade  through  them  ^1, 
for  the  refrefliing  of  my  memory. 

Phil  Very  gladly  ••  for  in  queftioning  of  you  I  Qwll  be  the  better  confirmed  in  that  which 
already  I  have  obteined.  But  feeing  that  all  good  gifts  (even  in  mean  Mechanical  matters) 
proceed  from  the  All-gtwr,  as  in  ix<>^.3i.  Ver.2,3,4,6,7-appcareth,  therefore  do  I  hum- 
bly intreat  my  underftandings  illumination  from  thee : 

^!  al#^etb«UeuD*  ctcn,  Die  alleis  rcljeppc  jgt, 

S>elf;^nDial)  toec^en,  nonoct  ^to.t,  of  fo^m,  of  3Cp8t, 

©f  ^tt  m  ons  begrip,  oeociifeen  ton,  of  batca : 

Slktljain,  aitftatisb,  caJ^«.  eni)-,<©o6Disbbobcnmaten! 

^ttnoemtUbt^aitf,  au*beet(cbentic  iliatuuc ! 

MKt^oD^jaafesmiUJC  JBoiit  \  &toitsDpt(^oe|tcuur, 

£Df  &tcael,  of  Kta#,  of  ^-Dteft !  (nnt  mv  tuif  com,  mn  ?ccglje, 

3Dat  icb  oen  gtsntj  uvt^binD',cno'  onoer  tov  j'  tec  dksJjc, 

£Dnff  toat  maetttucfe^iuctfe  is,.bol  oix^m  aoisftKOcn, 

miv  flwtcn  ^upDen  a'ers  baafe  aah  m?  sbitttcn  aectjcn, 

?paa  als  06  g^nfcl)  booftb  bUeabt  (eiw'mift  uto'\^ulp  ^  ^at) 

i^v  fttebelt  on^^betoaarto  wet  Tcarus  tct  ti&t '. 

atb !  luat  ?tU  atbtinss  liicf  o,  of  toaan  m?  aoe  ebon  fibcraw, 

CbafC  m?  eenftbevpbcstip,  <Poctt  oJ^al'  ^^"^"^  '^""'^ 

5DW  Dinsben  onscr  tcbtio  ^asm,  uyt  mv.te  Jlaten, 

2E<f  cbiftfli  ©»«.,  dio  ©uaa^.  bait  53it !  toat^matb  m  i^m  ?  ^^^^^ 

147 


M  XntroduUion  to  Merchants  Jccmpts, . 


Takin"  now  my  beginning  from  our  Mafters  grounds,  I  intend  in  order  (according  to 
capacityUo  pafTe  through  them  all :  and  being  that  Book- writing,  by  way  of  Debitor  and 
Creditor,3ftertheCfo  termed)  Italian  manner,  is  renowned  to  be  anexquihte  knowledg. 

(hew  me  its  event.  jucjcu 

Sch  The  Event  or  End  is  (faith  one)that  which  moveth  to  Jllicn,  and  the  End  hnall  is 
ever  better  then  that  which  is  for  the  End  -,  yet  this  End  cannot  be  attained,  but  by  another 
thin' intended,  as  a  means  theieonto  ••  So,  that  all  things  which  fas  means)  are  for,  and 
condW  to  the  Etid,are  not  intended,  nor  profecuted,but  out  of  a  deliberate  and  full  inten- 
tion of  t|ie  End,,  ... 

Jn  like  manner. 

The  End  of  Book- writing  is  to  give  contentment  unto  the  Book-owner,and  to  (hew  him 
(or  them  whom  they  do  co°ncern)at  all  times,  and  in  every  degree,  how  his  Eftate  flandeth 
in  the  fo  written  Books.  For,  the  view  of  a  well  eftablirtied  Eftate  m  a  mans  Books,  procu- 
reth  contentment  unto  the  pofTeffor  •,  yet  this  contentment  (for  no  reft  without  former  la- 
bour; cannot  be  attained,  but  by  another  thing  intended  as  a  means  thereunto:  to  wit. 
Book-keeping- kfiorvledge :  and  being  known,  profecuted,  anAaffeded  ;  the  fame  being  very 
Reqiiifue,  UfefuU ,  and  Commodious  for  the  writing. 

rprincely  Revenues,  findings  of  Cuflomes,  and  the  like  duties  •,  of  which  at 
prefent  I  intend  not  to  treat,  but  may  hereafter  have  fome  occafion  to  fhew 
the  neceffity  thereof  in  Princely  Courts,  as  well  as  in  Merchants  paffages 
Ot  the  which  there  is  a  worthy  work  compiled  in  Dutch  for  Prince  Mau- 
rice Conte  of  NaflTaw,  which  he  learned  of  the  Compiler,  Simon  Stevio 
hs  Mathematician,  and  exercifed  the  (ame  in  his  Court,  which  ftill  (as  I 
have  been  informed)  is  there  in  ufe,  as  alio  in  the  Swetbian  Court,  and  elfe- 

{ where. 

I  Merchants-trading  -,  being  for  Prefer^  FamrAggy  or  Comfaiij  accounts  s  of 
i.ihis  1  intend  to  fpeak  at  prefent. 

And  this  Mirrour  of  Eftate  is  not  to  be  feen  in  any  Book,but  onely  in  the  Lea«ei!,wftofe 
proper  office  it  is  to  (hew  the  Eftate  of  the  fame  to  the  Book-owner. 

of  needle[fe  Booh 

This  reproveth  the  keeping  of  a  mans  Eftate  in  many  Books :  as  in- a  Book  of  Buying, 
anotherof  Selling,  another  of  Receipts,  another  of  Shipping,  and  whatnot^  All  thefe 
Books  cannot  fliew  a  mans  Eftate,  nor  Cafe  of  ftanding  with  any  man,  or  in  any  Commo- 
dity untill  all  matters  are  drawn  to  a  head  upon  a  paper  in  form  of  a  Leager  ;  fo  that  they 
have  every  way  as  much  trouble  in  Writing  their  imperfeft  form,as  we  in  making  our  work 
compleat  at  once :  but  the  generality  want  capacity  to  apprehend  the  manner,  and  redifie 
their  own  defedls :  therefore  they  affeft  this  form  but  with  fmall  afFedion. 

FhiL  Bein^  that  the  tenor  of  our  fpeech  concerneth  Sooks^  I  take  it  not  unfitting  that 
you  rehearfe  thofe  Books  that  are  moft  requifite  for  Merchants  ufe.to  avoid  all  thofe  need- 

lelTe  Books.  „       ,         ^         ,  ^    , 

of  the  Cafh'Sooky  and  Sanck-Boet. 

Sch.  A  Merchant  in  Amfterdam  ufeth  a  Cafti  Book,  and  a  Banck-Book,  becaufe  his 

Journall  and  Leager  are  (in  pofting)  behind- hand,  elfe  the  Leager  might  caufe  the  avoid-, 

ing  for  thofe  two  Books. 

of  the  S^cie-Seoki 

A  Merchant  ufeth  likewife  a  Specie- BQok,More  ufcfull  for  the  Low-Countries  then  for 
Englandjbecaufe*  of  the  variety  of  Coines  there  in  ufe  •,  as  likewife  in  times  of  controverfie 
to  approve  what  Coins  pafTed  in  Receipt  of  Payment :  whereof  Job"  Conterech  of  Ant- 
werp 

148 


An  IntroduBion  to  Merchants  Accompts, 


werp  hath  Ihewed  a  worthy  example  in  his  Book  called  UDeit  fettle  Uanl5ocb^:uccn. 

of  the  pell j  Expences-Sook. 

More  he  ufeth  a  Book  of  petty  Expeaces  for  houfe- keeping,  and  fmall  disburfements 
upon  Merchandizing  •,  the  which  are  polled  once  a  moneth.  or  quarter  of  a  year,  into  the 
Tournall  of  which  the  faid  John  CoucereeJs  N  .  B./<?/.p,io,  1 1.  hath  lively  initances.  Si- 
mon Stevinin  his  Princely  Book-keeping,/i/.  J2.  writeth  concerning  this  Book,  thus  : 

This  Book  of  Expenccsislikewifeakindof  aCa(h-Book,  and  is  oncly  for  charges, 
which  eenerally  are  potted  once  a  moneth  in  one  fume  into  the  Journall .-  partly,  for  bre- 
vity to  poft  many  petties  into  one  fumme  ••  partly,  becaufe  m  great  mens  houfes,  ics  the 
proper  office  of  fome  one  man  to  adminiftrate  thofe  petty  expences,rendnDg  an  account  of 
each  particular  as  well  for  Muftard  and  Matches  to  kindle  the  fire,  as  ot  things  of  greater 
importance,  unto  which  end  there  is  kept  a  Particular-  Book. 

Copy  Book  of  Letters. 

More  hekeepetha  Copy  Book  of  Letters,  which  informeth  his  memory  of  what  he 
hath  written  unto  others  -,  and  this  Book  is  very  requifite  againtt  controverfies  o£  advices, 
the  Letters  (dmetimes  not  being  well  underftood  by  the  receiver. 

of  the  Memoriall. 

A  Merchant  may  ufe  a  Memorial!,  there  to  note  fome  things  that  properly  appertain  to 
no  other  Book :  as  for  inftance  •,  1  lent  unto  a  man  a  {hilling,or  a  pound,for  a  day  or  a  week, 
its  fufficientto  note  a  word  or  two  per  memory,  without  making  any  Journall  parcell  of 
the  fame :  yea  not  in  the  Clad  or  Wafte-  Book,  for  that  hath  another  office.  Simon  Stevtn, 
fol  z  I  Some  enter  fuch  things  in  the  Clad,  but  the  fame  is  fo  large,  that  by  prolongation 
of  time  its  hard  to  be  found  5  and  caufeth  likewife  a  doubt  in  the  Accomptant  whether  ic 

(hall be  potted, ornot. 

Copy  Book  for  Acfountt. 

SomeufelikewifeaCopyBook  for  Accounts,  fent,  or  delivered  to  any  man,  becaufe 
the  Leac^eraereeth  not  compleatly  in  each  particular  parcell  in  order,or  day,  with  the  fenc 
Accoun?:  elfe  that  Book,and  the  writing  thereof  might  be  aYoidcd,Ot  which  form,  if  any 
man  defire  an  inttance,  may  have  it  in  the  Book  of  JohivCoutereels,  Ist.O.foU.&.j. 

Four  other  principall  Books  doth  a  Merchant  ufe  in  his  Traffique,  to  wit: 

r  iVAfie-hooi,  fore-runner  of  the  Journall 
^y^ournall,  or  Day-book,  fore-runner  of  the  Leager. 
^  ).Le/iger^  or  Gather- book,Mirrour  of  a  mans  Eftate. 
X_ti£ioT  kok^iov  the  entring  of  each  particular  received,pack  or  par- 
cell  of  wares  alone,that  cometh  into  his  hands  to  (ell,  either  in  Commiffion,  or  tor  Compa- 
ny Account.  Of  thefe  laft  four  Books  I  intend  to  treat,  and  to  explain  their  proper  offices, 
as  much  as  the  All-CoTftpri^^erihzW  pleafe  to  impart  to  my  prefent  memories  apprehenfi- 

on.  Po"^' 

Ort  thee,  0  God,  I  do  depend^ 

Ever  me  rvith  thj  Shield  depend^ 

That  ^efui  my  Redeeming  Lord 

May  Mercies  [entence  me  offord  : 

And  that  the  illuminating  Sp'rit 

Grant  that  I  maj  know  mj  felf  aright y 

To  put  my  confidence  alone 

In  Trinity,  ^uteffe-where  none. 

Eor  none  hut  thou  dtdjl  wifdome  give  . 

Unto  Bezaleel,  Ux'xifonnt  ••  Ajlb 


149 


■   ■    -  -        -I  ■    ■  -  -^--^r-^ 

An  IntYOdudm  to  Ader  chants  Jcccwpts, 


And  even  eflovt  thou  didjl  relieve 
Jiim  fpith  another  chofen  One. 
LOR  D,fo  infufe  thy  gifts  in  me. 
And  aid  me  in  this  work  of  mine. 
That  it  to  many  ufe full  he^ 
The  praife  thereof  jhall  all  be  thine. 

WASTE  book- 
So  called,  becaufe  when  the  matter  is  Written  into  the  Journall,  then  is  this  book  void^ 
and  of  no  efteem  5  efpecially  in  Holland,  where  the  baying  people  firme  not  the  W^fte- 
book,  as  here  ourf Nation  do  in  England. 

Fhil.  Explaine  the  office  and  dependances  of  the  Wafte-book^ 
ich.  Two  things  are  to  be  noted  in  the  Wafte-book. . 

The  Forme  is,  that  this  book  is  lined  towards  the  left  hand  with  one  line  (bat  fome  ufe 
two)  and  towards  the  right  hand  with  three  5  leaving  towards  the  left  hand  a  Margine  or 
whitenefs  of  an  inch  or  lefle,  according  to  the  books  Targeneffe,  to  enter  therein  the  Day, 
Moneth,  Mark  of  the  Commodity,  or  all  :  and  between  the  three  lines  towards  the  right 
hand,  there  to  enter  the  mony,  as  by  feverall  inftances  (hail  be  made  plain. 
■  The  office  of  this  book  is,  that  onely  the  Daily-trading  ought  to  be  written  therein,  e- 
ven  as  it  is  truly  a^d  : 

AS 

Buying,  Selling,  Receiving.  Paying,  Drawing,  Remitting,  Aflignments,  Shipping,  &c. 
and  this  muft  be  entred  immediately  upon  the  adion  of  the  thing  acSted,  to  the  end  no  paf- 
fing  parcells  be  forgotten,  according  to  the  Dutch  Proverb:  S'at  men  ftljMt,  SDat  blpft. 
That  whith  is  written,  Remaineth.  In  this  book  ought  neither  Inventory  nor  Ballance  o£ 
the  Leager  to  be  entred  5  for  that  is  againft  the  office  of  this  book :  it  bejng  onely  to  write 
Traficking  paflages  in.  In  this  book  may  write  Mafter,  Accomptant,  or  any  Servant  of 
the  houie,  by  whom  the  thing  is  aded,  or  by  adrice  and  order  of  another.  Jn  this  book 
muft  the  matter  be  entred  in  plain  fincerity  as  it  is  aded,  without  Debitor,  or  Creditor 
foi  m  e  5  for  that  is  the  proper  office  of  the  Journall ;  like  wife  many  people  underftand  the 
Wafte-book  entrances,  that  appreheiid  not  the  Journall  forme.  In  this  book  ought  the 
parcels  to  be  entred  dofe  under  each  other  as  they  were  adied, without  leaving  of  any  emp- 
ty paper,  to  avoid  fufpicion  of  Forging  any  parcells  betwixt  them,  upon  any  omitted  occaii- 
on  :  and  each  parcel!  ought  to  be  feparated  with  a  line  from  the  other  before  written,  and 
enfuing  parcel.  In  this  book  ought  the  aded  matter  to  be  firft  entred  5  partly,  becaufe  it  is 
a  ibre-runnerof  the  Journalrefpecially  when  the  Merchant  ufeth  an  Accomptant  thatdwel- 
leth  without  his  houfe^for  he  may  fpmetime  be  abfent  when  fuch  matters  are  aded.  Again, 
there  may  be  an  error  committed  in  Weight,  Meafure,  Quantity  or  Cafting.  Again,  be- 
caufe the  matter  or  condition  may  be  changed,  by  diminilhrng  or  augmenting  of  any  thing? 
orbywhollyleavingoutofanymatter,the  bargain  being  broken,  and  fo  that  parcell  can- 
celled there  ••  for  Blotching  or  Racing  out  of  any  parcell  in  the  Journall  is  unbefeeraing- 

Fhil'  What  confiderations  elfc  are  to  be  obferved  in  this  Wafte-book  ? 
Sch.  Five  other  things  muft  be  duely  obferved  in  this  book : 

1.  The  Year,  Moneth,  Day,  Town  or  Place  where  fuch  matters  are  aded. 

2.  The  Name  and  Surname  of  the  Party  with  whom  we  trade  :  or,  if  it  be  Fa(5torage3 
then  unto  the  former  name  muft- be  added  the  Owners  name  for  whom  the  thing  is  effe- 
6ted,  aslikewifetheplaceof  his  Refidence  .'and  whether  the  Bargain  be  for  Time  or 
Ready  mony,  that'saHke,  in  refpe(5t  of  Booking  the  fame  unto  him  whofe  Commodities 
they  are.  3.  jhe 

150 


An  Introdi^ion  to  Merchants  Accompli . 


The  quaatity  or  quality  of  the  thing  traded  for;  as,  Ells,  Pieces,  Coloursj 
Weight,  Mark,  Number,ExdiaQges.  Affignments^r  the  like . 
4.  The  value  of  price  of  the  thiDg  traded  for :  whether  Wares,  Exchange,  or 

5    The  conditions  or  ciraitnaaxjces  that  were  ufed  about  the  matter :  at  Time» 
SuretiOiip,  Bonds  givea,or  taken,  Broketidge,  &c. 


1630^ 
March 


.=?o. 


The  Wafte  Book  parcells  are  of  tenour,  as  the 
cnlumg  examples. 

Anno  1530.  the  z'i.ef  March, in  London. 


Mamaduke  Grimjlon  of  Northampton,  leodeth  me  68. 1 .  untiU  the 
firftof  May  next  coming:  which  fummcCby  hisafrignment)my  Caftiier 
receivethof^rfA«rJ\/rf»^w^,inconlideration  wheieoflamto  allow 
him  certain  raony ;  being,  with  principall •  — 


iL 


^9    15 


§ 


Affigned  Sihrant  ^ohnfen  upon  Thomdf  Cofttr,  for  the  accompt  ot 
Semr  !./r,to  receive,49  5 -^.the  remainer  hath  my  CaOiier  received  of 
foL  5y^r-.V''»>by  aflignment  of  the  faid  Colter,  with  7. 1,  xo.  for  fix 
Weeks  time  forbearance :  the  whole  being- 


t 


95t 


A-^reed  with  ^acoh  ^ehnfon  of  Marken,  to  let  him  have  3000.  Flo- 
rineslor  Franckford.at  81.6.  Flemifti.to  be  repayd  to  meor  Aflfignes, 
the  firft  of  Tune  next  -,  as  the  Exchange  (hall  then  return  from  Franck- 
ford:  this  being  mony  for  the  Company  of  Edward  Denu  at  Nor- 
thampton  and  me,  each  one  halfe,  producing 

In  part  of  payment  of  the  fame,l  deliver  him  iS.Lafls,  7.  Maddeof 
Rye,being  in  Company  t  for  Edward  Denis^^%  for  me  ■  at  15  o.  gl. 
each  Uaready-mony,is 51. 3834.  8.  i^-  Therema.ner  have  I  made 
goodinB^nckCforhlm)  upon  the  accompt  of  ^^fm  ^ohnfonV.A 
abating  a 2. 7  fil.  for  BanCk- inooy,at  one  fer  Cent,  the  whole  produceth 


.9- 


1012 10 


lOIZ 


TO  — 


Thil.  What  ufe  have  thofe  (lantling  (Irokes  that  are  ^rawn  m  the  Margine  . 

5./^.  They  have  two  ufes:  i.They  (hew  how  farispofted  out  of  the  Wafte-book 
into  the  Journall,  and  they  are  a  fure  mark  that  a  man  omit  no  parcell,  being  called 
away  from  his  polling:  neither  to  enter  one  thing  twice  upon  the  faid  "llmg  away. 
2.  They  fliew  how  many  Journal  parcells  are  included  m  fuch  a  Wafle  Book  parcel, 
infomuch,  that  in  re-pointing  of  the  Wafte-Book,  a  man  may  /he  eafier  lee  he 
quantity  of  the  included  parcells.  when  ttie  Wafte  and  Journall  J^»  be  compared 
againft  each  other.  Some  draw  thofe  ftrokes  on  the  right  hand,  where  the  mony  is  j 
but  that  multitude  of  Strokes  darkneth  the  mony  fummes :  exch  ha  choice.  The 
Wafte-Book  parcells  ought  with  all  convenient  fpeed  to  be  pofted  'ntoj^«  Jo°f; 
nall,  and  Leager,  to  the  end  the  Book  owner  may  the  better  difcern  how  b«  cale 
ftandeth  with  each  man,and  matter.  Thus  much  of  the  Wafte-Book  m  Torm,  Office, 
and  Circumjlances :  Now, 

OF  THE  JOURNALL- 

It  being  the  f^rft  exqulfuc  Book,  wherein  carefully  jnuft  be  obfcrved  that  Mch 
parcel  have  its  Charge,aud  Difcharge  ••  that  is,the  true  p.^/r.r,  and  Creditor  where- 
Seach  Journal  pa?cd  ought  to  begin:which  being  jf^^.^/^^^^^ 
wordsCacwrdmg  to  the  nature  of  the  matter)exprcfled,^  one  of  the  ckefefi  ^nc'fUs 


151 


8  An  IntroduHion  to  Merchants  Acompts, 

belonging  unto  book- keefin^.  Mark  well  •,  he  that  can  difcern  the  tiue  Debitor  and  Creditor 
in  any  propounded  propoiuion  (concerning  this  Art)  hath  the  right  (Theorick)  inwArd- 
grotmd- knowledge  and  contemplation  of  the  matters  :  and  he,  and  ondj  he  (with  the  help 
of  Arithmetickj  goeth  firm  in  his  aflion ,  to  give  cacli  man  his  due,  and  book  his  matters 
under  due  and  true  Titles.  It  is  very  requifite  (if  poflible  it  may  be  effeded)  that  the 
Journall  be  written  by  one  man  ••  for  in  times  of  controverfie  he  can  beft  anfwer  for  his  own 
pollings. 


a 


10 


11 


rhil.  What  things  are  moft  requifite  in  the  Journall  to  be  noted  ? 
Sch,  Three  Notable  things  are  to  noted  in  the  Journall  .• 

I.  The  MAtter  whereof  it  is  made. 

3.  The  Form  thereof. 

3.  The  0//?ff  whereunto  it  is  ufed. 

OF  THE  JO  URN  ALLS  MATTER. 

■Fhil.  Proceed  to  the  Explication  of  the  firft  member. 

5f^.  The  Ji/rf/ff/"  whereof  the  Journall  is  made,  may  be  drawn  to  five  chief  branches: 
for  it 

Ti.  From  the  Inventary :  as  in  the  lo.  and  fo  to  6i.  place. 
|.2.From  TralSckes  continuall    Exercife  :  as  in    63.    place  (including 
f      20J.) 

j  5.  From  tranfporting  of  full  accounts  in  the  Leager  unto  a  new  leaf, Sec  206. 
proceedetti<<     place. 

4.  From  the  equalizing  of  Over,  or  Undcr-Weights,  MeafureSjorthe  like. 
See  2 1 2.  place. 

5.  From  the  LeagerS  Conclude,  or  Ballancios  of  the  Leager.  See  215. 
».    place 

Phil.  Go  on  with  the  firft  branch. 

Sch.  An  ufuall  Inventary  generally  confifteth  in 

'i.  Ready-morty,and  that  in  Ca(h,in  Banck,or  both. 

2.  Wares  remaining  unfould  for  proper  accompt :  under  this  fecond 
member  is  included  Houfes,  Lands,Rents,Ships-paits  5  as  alfo  Wares 
unfould  for  Fadlorage,  orCompany-accompts,  and  thofe  that  were 
formerly  (hipt  unto  another  place,  beiog  as  yet  unfould  for  Proper, 
Fa6lorage,or  Company  accompts. 

^Increafins  •'^ 
impropeHy     ?  Debi  /^^'  ^^°P'^  unto  whom  we  tormerly  fould :  or,  that  promifed 
by  ttieansof  tors:  and  V  "S  payment  of  exchanses,and  the  like. 

them  a-i)^*^"^°''^'  ? 

a-)fn«  ,„r3-P^W«rs,S^that  have  not  as  yetgiven  us  full  fatisfacSion. 

5,ame  m^^_  Mafters,  )^ 

\_  n.  People  of  whom  we  have  bought,  or  whofe  Bills  we 

fOf.  Debt- 1    hjve  accepted. 
Decreafing;)deman-    !2.Fa(aors,  *5 

improperly  *)ders;and  "j  3.  Partners, ^unto  whom  we  as  yet  have  not  given  full 
by  means  of c  them  In     4.  Mafters,  ^  content. 
«>  [^5 .Wares,partly  fould  for  Fadoragcof  Company-account. 

Phil,  In  the  above- ftanding  Table  you  fpeak  of  Stockes  Increafing,  and  Decreafing  Im- 
properly -,  explain  the  word  Improper. 
Sch.  Simon  Stevin,  difcourfing  of  Merchants  Book-keeping,  fot.  y 5.  with  Prince  Maw 

rit/. 


O 


152 


jin  IntroduBion  to  Merchants  yfccompts. 


13 


14 


rw,concerning  ScockeS  Increafing,  and  Decreafing  •  the  Prince  faith,  that,  Moniei^  Wares y 
aod  Debitors,  Increafe  Stock  ••  for  the  more  a  man  hath  of  them,the  greater  will  his  Stock 
be.  Contrarily,  Debt-dtmanders  Decreafe  Stock.  Simon  Stevin  replyeth,  to  be  of  ano- 
ther Opinion  -,  exprelTing  himfelf  with  the  enfuing  Inftance  ••  li  (faith  he)  in  former  Books 
I  bought  of  Peter  a  Bale  of  Pepper  upon  Time  •,  that  Pepper  augmenteth  not  my  Stock : 
forPeterdemandeth  of  me  the  value,time  being  expired.  Inlike  manner,  my  Stock  de- 
creafethnot,  becaufePeterisa  Df^;-</fwWfr  .-  for  its  as  much  augmented  by  the  Pep- 
per. But  ifa  Bale  of  Pepper  be  given  me,  that,  truly  augmenteth  my  Stock:  for  I  en- 
ter, Pepper-debitor  to  Stock.  And, /o/ 54.  A  Merchant  giving  certain  hundreds  to  Mar- 
riage with  his  D^^s^^^/i-r,  that  decreafeth  Stock.  By  this  may  eafily  be  difcerned,  what 
Stock  Augraenter.and  Diminiftier  properly  is. 

1 2  Phil.  Speaking  of  Stocks  Increafing,and  Decreafing,  you  rehearfed  in  how  many  parts 
thefubftance  of  an  Invcntary  did  confift-,  but  let  mc now  hear  you  neminatethQ  true 
Debitors  Qi^i  Creditors  oit'aQ  fame  ertel)  ^  without  any  other  Circumftances  of  Di(aaci- 

ons. 
Sch  Togive  you  the  better  content,  I  will  fpeake  of  each  in  order  as  they  ftaad:  and 

firft,  ' 

OFTHEREADYMONY. 

Phil.  How  Book  you  the  Ready-  mony  after  the  way  of  Debitor  and  Creditor  '- 
Sch.  Caf}  Debitor  to  Stock. 

Phil,  Why  make  you  C4^  Debitor  ? 

Sch.  BecaufeCrf/?)  (having  received  my  mony  into  it)  is  obliged  to  reltore  it  again  ac 
mypleafure.-forCd/fe  reprefenteth  (to  me)  a  man,  to  whom  I(onely  upon  confidence) 
have  put  my  mony  into  his  keeping-,  the  which  by  reafonis  obliged  to  reader  it  back, 
or,  to  give  me  an  account  what  is  become  of  it:  even  fo,  \i  CafhhQ  broken  open,  it  gi- 
veth  me  notice  what's  become  of  my  mony,  elfe  it  would  redound  it  wholly  back  to 

me.  .   .     -  n        -KT 

Phil.  Why  do  youufe  the  word  Cajh,  being  the  word  Mettj  is  m  ufe  amongft  our  Na- 
tion f  _  ■        c    ,  n        ■     \,     cc 

Sch.  Simon  Stevin  treating  of  this  word  with  Prince  Maurtts  of  Na[}aH,  in  the  htc 
Head-point  of  his  Princely  Book-keeping,/-;/ 52.  faith,  that  he  could  give  none  other 
reafon,  bat  onely,  that  this  word  is  in  Ufe^  which  if  it  were  not,  1  account  1 1  betterdaith  he) 
tQ\\3.Vtit\d,Monj  is  Debitor.  ...       _ 

Our  Mafter  ufually  alledged  the  difference  between  private,  and  generall  dilcourles, 
(hewing  that  many  words  arc  ufually  among  Dutch,  French,  and  other  Nations,  with 
whom  a  Merchant  doth  trafficke;  therefore  he  thought  itficteft  to  ufe  generall  words, 
as  being  generally  known,  andmoftufefullin  Book- keepings  elfe  (laid  he)  why  Ihould 
not  Monj  bear  its  own  Name  as  well  as  other  commodities  •' 

Phil.  OneotherQueftionI  have  to  demand  before  you  proceed,  which  is.  Why  is 
Slock  made  Cr editor  i  rr  x.      a,   u       * 

Sch.  Becaufetheword5/()f;&conta!nethinit,  all  what  a  man  poffefleth-,  \vhether.  Wo- 
nej,mres,Debtsd\ittoMS,  or  the  like:  and  (marke this  well)  C^,  yea,  each  particular 
thing  that  IpoiTelTe,  is  but  a  member  of  that  whole  body  Stocke-,  therefore  by  the.joynt 
meeting  of  all  thofe  members,the  body(S(cft)  is  made  complear. 

17       Phil.  Having  pafled  the  firft  part  of  Ready-mony,treat  now  fomewhac 

CF  THE  MONY  IN  BANC  KE. 

I  Form  the  hands  of  the  Honourable  Lords  of  the  Bancke,  Ihave  a  certain  fumme  of  mo- 
I  ney  •,  how  (halll  I  Book  that  <  ^^^^  g^nck 

NOTE.-Pages  23  to  43, 10  to  14,  24  io  44,  48,  49  and  53  of  the  text  are  omitted,  lecause  ^hey  give 
questions  and  answers  setting  forth  horv  jc^urnal  entries  xuider  drffermg  ^Zl'TudZeZore  arelt 
not  present  any  argumentation  or  theory,  nor  do  they  show  why  they  are  made,  and  therefore  are  prac 
tically  nothing  but  repetitions  of  what  has  been  said  m  other  pages. 

153 


15 


16 


14 


Jn  hitroduBion  to  Merchanii  Jccompls, 


40        Fhil.  Let  ine  hear  you  enter  chis  according  to  the  nature  of  the  Inventary. 

Sch.  They  were  fent  before-,  and  therefore  I  enternow. 

Edrrard  Dctiii  of  Northampton  his  account  at  Roan  in  France,  in  the  Adminiflration 
of  P.  D.  Debitor  to  Stock  •,  for  the  charges  by  me  done  at  the  firll  fending.  See  46. 
plJce, 

rbil.  But  fuppofe  the  charges  that  you  did  at  the  firft  fending  were  writ  off  from  his 
above-named  Roan  account,  unto  his  account  currant,  being  that  I  would  have  all  disbuir- 
fed  money  upon  one  account  -,  and  therefore  that  account  hath  no  charge  now  upon  it. 

Sch.  Edward  Denis  of  Northampton,his  account  at  Roan  in  France,  in  the  Adminiflra- 
tion of  P.  D.  is  Debitor  to  Stock :  Nota,  for  a  Blank  fumme,  both  in  Debit  and  Credit ; 
and  muft  be  fo  carried  to  each  account  fer  Fermam,  becaufe  there  muft  not  be  a  Debitor 
without  a-Creditor,  nor  the  contrary. 


41 


41 


U 


44 


45 


Phil.  Suppofe  P.  D.  had  in  the  former  books  made  fale  of  part,  or  whole  •,  whereof  you 
had  advice  then,  but  no  Returns.  See  46.  place. 

Sch.  P.  D.  at  Roan,  for  the  proper  account  of  E-  D.  at  N.  N.  Debitor  to  Stock  -,  for  as 
much  as  the  known  fales  import  ••  and  fo  I  pafs  forward,  according  to  the  Tables  tenour, 
unto,. 

Wares  abroad,  unfold,  for  Company- 
Account. 


Phil.  I  perceive  you  cleave  clofe  to  the  Table. 

^J;.  School- men  (as  I  have  read)  fay,  that  a  good  Difputant  ought  never  todigrelTe 
from  the  propounded  Propofition,  until!  it  be  difcuffed.  Neither  ought  any  Writer  to 
commit  a  digrefTion  from  the  grounds  of  his  intended  fubjeil,  as  is  here  the  before- entred 
Table  in  the  10.  place,  as  alfo  the  enfuing  three  Tables  5  to  wit,  The  Table  of  Accounts 
Prefer  in  the  63.  place:  the  Table  of  J<Jt7orj^e- accounts  in  the  122.  place:  and  the  Table 
of  C(?w/'.i«^-accountsin  the  174.  place.  From  thefe  I  intend  not  to  flray.,  but  in  order 
will  work  upon  them  fas  the  Table  flnll  deliver  matter  thereunto  : )  the  more,becaure  any 
one  which  fliall  have  occafion  to  feek  a  matter  in  any  of  thofe  particular  Tables,  whether 
in  the  Inventaries,  Prefer^  F  agiotage,  or,Cfmpa»y'T2hks^  may  prefently  know  what  goeth 
before,  or,  foUoweth  his  delired  matter. 

thil.  But  to  our  intended  purpofe ;  rehearfe  fome  Inftances  of  Company  unfold  Wares, 

'Voyage  to  Roan,  configned  to  Pierre  du  Pint^  being  in  Company^ 

for  ^ames  ^artrAm,  and  me,  each  ^ I  Debitor 

5f>^.<  Voyage  to  Lisborne,    configned  to   Pedro  del  Verde  .^  being   in  >     to 
I      Company,  \  for  Koheri  cliften,  and  Partner,  i  for  ^ames  ^ojncr:,  \  Stock, 
[and  J  for  me. -J 

Phil,  Having  in  order  waded  through  the  fecond  branch  of  the  Inventary-Table,  in  the 
10.  place;  proceed  to  the  third  branch  of  Stocks  increafing:  being  _ 

DEBITORS,  OF   WHOM    WE    ARE 
TO   HAVE. 

Sch.  Four  in  number  are  they  comprehended  under,  in  the  third  branch  of  the  I  o.place. 
and  may  all  be  joyned  as  under  one ;  yet  in  brief  I  will  touch  each  apart  ••  as 

Ci.B.  c.  to  whom  we  formerly  fold,  or,  that  he  had  accepted  our  Exchanges, 

<     Debitor  to  Stock. 

C'i.  CD.  at  Venice  my  account  currant,  Debitor  to  Stock. 

5.  Partner^ 

154 


An  IntroduBion  to  Merchants  Accompts. 


'5 


46 


'Whobath  part  of  My  eftate  in  his  hands,  to  be  imployed.by 

j      him  for  the  good  of  our  Company  .•  N.  N.  my  account  by  him 

j      inCompany,Debitor  toStock. 
<  3.  Partner  <  Whofe  part  of  Stock  is  in  my  hands  to  be  by  me  imployed,  and 
':  '  I      lam  for  hirt  in  disburfe :  N.N.  his  account  by  me  in  Compa- 

(     ny,  Debitor  to  Stock. 
[/^.M,M-  at  Colchefter  his  account  Currant,Debicor  to  Stock. 

By  the  word  Currant,  do  not  I  underftand  the  account  that  is  oppofice  to  an  accounc 
oiTime,  (for  I  diftingailh  them  by  the  name  of  Time,  and  Ready-monyj  but  by  Currant , 
I  underftand,  a  RmmngicconniXconte-Courante)  upon  the  which  all  things  may  pafTe,  as 
well  for  time,  as  Ready- mony. 

Thil.  Thus  I  fee  you  have  pafled  through  the  three  branches  of  Stocks  IncreaGng,  with 
the  dependances  of  the  fame  in  a  briefe  manner:  what  foUoweth  next  to  treat  of  :^ 

DEBT-DEMANDERS. 

Sch.  In  the  10.  place  is  (hewed,  that  Stock  hath  (Improperly)aDecreafing  part;  and 
that  again  is  divided  into  five  Sub  diviiionsrof  thefc  in  briefe  likewife,after  a  plain  manner: 
as  thus, 

fi.  B.E.  Of  whom  we  formerly  bought,  or  whofe  Bills  in  former  Books 
v;e  accepted ,  and  prefeatly  Booked  them,  but  not  due  to  be  paid  in  thofe 
Books. 
2.  £.  F.atConftantinoplc,  my  account  Currant',  for  that  he  hath  made  me 
more  Returns  then  my  fold  Wares  did  import. 

/My  account  by  him  in  Company,  he  having  paid  out  more  then 
V  his  part  doth  import. 
3.Partner,|His  account  by  me  in  Compaby  ••  I  having  received  into  my  hands 
Stocke    is  ff    mony  for  fold  Wares,  and  detain  his  part  thereof,  where  he 

Debitorto^  J    oughctohaveit,  „.     ,    ,.  ^  »,  .      ,      .      ^     ^. 

4.  F.  G.  His  account  Currant -^  the  credit  or  which  being  heavier  then  his 
Debit:  but  whether  it  be  in  Ready-mony,or>  for  Wares  fold  upon  time, 
thats  not  materiall,  in  refpedl  of  his  Running- accounts  form. 
J.G.W.  His  account  of  Kcrffes,  for  fo  much  as  was  fold  upon  that  account 

in  the  fornverBook  ••  S'ee  3:6.  place. 
Durances  in  Company,!  for  A.B.-^  for  B,C.  and  |  for  me  .•  for  fo  much  as  in  the 
former  Book  was  fold  upon  that  accoaint:  Sec  37.  place,  it  being  compared 
with  this, 
i^£(/rprfriDf»*f  of  Northampton,  his  account  at  iJ<?4»</»fr4w;,  in  the  Admi- 
niftration  of  P.  D.  for  as  much  as  the  known  Sales  import.  iV<?/i»,  in  the  42 .  place,  th: 
fador  was  made  Debitor  to  Stock,  for.  the  like  fumme:  therefore  our  Stock  flandeth 
well  in  the  like  cafe  with  others.  Again,  we  have  our  firft  charges  done  uj  good  unto  our 
Stockin  the  40.  place. 

Stock  Debitor  to  Voyage  to  Lisborne,  configned  unto  Pedro  del  Fergo,  being  in  Com- 
pany, 7  for  Robert  cltftpft,  and  Partner^  for  ^ames^oper,  and  \  for  me :  for  as  much  as 
the  known  Sales  import.  You  muft  conceive,  that  Pedro  del  Tergo^  our  account,  being 
in  Company,  i  for  Rehert  cUfton,zx\i.  Partner  •, «  for  /./.andi  for  me :  either  (iandetb ,  or, 
jhodd flandDe:h\tor  to  Stocky  for  the  likefummc,  that  Stock  ftandech  Debitor  to  the 
Voyage  for  the  Sales ;  for  the  I'^o'^age  cannot  have  a  Credit,  but  by  one,  or  more  Debitours 
5hat  even  Counter- poize  that  Credit. 


4T 


Phil.l  have feen your Dx/fr/Vjf  m  tlie  handling  of  the  Inventary-Table , •  05  alfo  in 
theBooking'oia  mans  known  eftate-,  but  if  a  Merchant  will  not  have  his  eftate  known^ 

ho^r 


153 


\6 


An  IntroduBion  to  Merchants  JccomptSf 


how  Will  you  behave  your  felf  therein^  Ha!  I  think  I  have  pos'd  you  how.   Now  you 
are  (lall'd,!  trow. 

ScIj.  In  fuch  difficult  Queltions  you  cannot  debarre  me,  to  take  the  aid  of  fome  Re- 
nowned Authors :  tor  ip  the  firft  place  of  our  Dialogue  1  feared  my  weakriefTe,  becaufe  I 
frequented  not  the  daily  Examination  •,  but  although  I  frequeut  not  the  School,  I  am  yet 
not  ignorant  ot  what  the  Authors  paflages  are  upon  this  Sutjeft--  and  therefore  I -will  de- 
cide vourQueftion,  with  the  Solution  of  Matter  Henry  Waninghen  inthe  firft  Chapter, 
the  1 7.  Queftions  anfwer ;  his  words  are  ihefe :  Cd(b  mufi  he  entredin  ftace  ofStccke ,  rw- 
king  all  that  is  due  to  m  Debitor  to  fajh  :  eontrartlj^  Cap)  Deif iter  to  *ll  them  that  are  to  have  ef 
us. 

With  him  (in  the  very  fame  words)  agreeih  his  Difciple  Joannes  Buingha^  who  now 
at  Am(terdam,  after  the  death  of  his  before-named  Mafter,fucceedeth  his  place  in  School- 
mafterfhip.  See  the  38.  page  of  his  Book,printed  1 627. 

^.  Carpenter  Gent,  in  his  Mojl  Excellent  InliriiBion^  printed  in  London  1 63 2.  is  a  direft 
Imitator  of  both  the  former :  See  foL  20.24.  o^  his  Book :  and  no  mervaile  •,  tor  the  grea- 
teft  part  of  his  publiftied  Book,  is  nothing  elfe  but  a  generallcopy-of  Henrj  Wininghens 
Book,  both  in  words,  and  number  of  the  Queftions.^.  C.  in  his  Epiftle  to  the  Reader, 
pretendcih  Ignorance,  of  not  knowing  the  Author,  who  in  the  French  Language  many 
years  agone  was  eafie  to  be  found. 


r^8 


49 


50 


51 


fhil.  Shew  me  fome  Inftances  how  they  would  Book  their  paTTageT. 
Sch.  In  briefe  I  will :  and  firft, 

OF  THE  WARES. 

rrGrograines^ 
Kerfies        ^Debitor  to  Cafii, 
Durances, 


of  the  People  that  owe  to  us. 

Robin  Good- fellow^  "^ 

Herman  Hard.-head^^X^e\i\tot  to  Cafli* 

^ehn  Gentleman}     ^ 


< 


Of  the  People  that  we  owe  unto. 

P  Rowland  Red-  beard, 
Cafli  'Dt}MOX  t(^RalfhWould-mll. 
'^ejp(l  Reach- fatre. 

fhil.  Suppofe  a  man  at  the  making  <d  his,  Inventary  hath  Tome  niony,  how  (hall  he 
Book  that^ 

Sch.  The  before-named  in  the  places  of  their  Books  mentioned,  fay.  The  Ready-fMHj  U 
not  to  be  entred^  till  you  disburfe  the  fame. 

Phil.  Suppofe  with  part  of  that  concealed  mony  you  bought  Wares^md  with  other  part, 
paid  them  unto  whom  you  are  indebted :  how  enter  you  that  i 

Wares,? 

People  f^  debitor  to  Cafe. 

Phil.  This  bein^  thusTehearfed,  what  will  you  conclude  5  have  thefe  ^think  you)  di- 

gieiled  ^ 

Sch.  Suppofe  they  had,  what's  that  tomeif  But  becaufe  you  feouldnot  flout  at  me, 

thmkmg  my  capacity  to  be  fo  ftupid,  that  it  is  voidqf  diftin^on,  I  will  in  fome  bncfe 

I  notes  onely  touch  the  fame.  Hrftly, 


156 


An  IntroduUion  to  Merchants  /fccoyfipis.  t  j 


>2 


53 


54 


Firft,let  me  confider  whether  the -Book-owner  be  more  indebted  then  his  Eftate  « 
worth  ;wliich  if  he  be,  then  is  their  entrance  good,  for  his  Eftaces  concealment:  for  the 
Debit  ftde  of  Cafh  ought  to  be  heavie(l,  er,  having  no  mo/ty,  it  mufl  be  cvcn^  beeaujc  all  is 
faidout :  but  if  he  have  any  Eftate,  then  is  the  Credit  of  his  Cafh  (who  ftandeth  in 
Stocks  Rend)  heOLvicQ. :  and  therefore  an  frz-w^,  being  there  is  more  paid,  then  was  re- 
cei\^ed. 

Secondly,  the  commoditiies  that  we  have  at  the  making  of  our  Inventary,  were  bought 
Informer  Books,  and  there  made  Debitors ;  and  that  we  now  enter  ihem  agam  Debitors  to 
Cajh,  is  to  re- buy  them -and  confequently,  in  place  of  book- reforming,  hok-  dtf or  ming  ^ 
and  an  undefendable  Err  our  ^ . 

Thirdly,  the  People  vvhom  we  now  make  Debitors  to  Cafh^  ^xq  abfolutelj  om  Debitorf', 
and  do  we  fay  them,who  are  to  fay  us  <  many  men  would  defire  to  be  our  Debitors. 

Fourthly,  As  fenfelefleisit,  to  niake  Ca(h  Debitor  to  People  that  are  to  have  of  us  -,  will 
they  that  are  to  have  of  us  ICO.  T.  for  a  Bill  of  Exchange  by  us  accepted,  fay,  Come  mj 
Friend,  you  have  accepted  an  Exchahge,  to  pay  at  time  expired,  which  is  now  .■  fend  your 
man  to  my  hoafe,and  the  mony  (hall  incontinently  be  paid  to  hi  m  •r  7  think  nothing  lejje. 
(Cj^Fifthly,  Cafh  may  never  hea:x'»itmed,  Nota^  not  namtd,  but  when  money  is  either  truly  , 
and  really  paid,  or,  received,  as  in  the  ly.place  is  mentioned.  But  if  thefe  People  enter 
/^rg-e^  Imaginaries  in  the /"^rf'/rwr  of  their  Books  .-what  is  not  to  beexpe(fted  before  the 
End? 

Sixthly,  The  Stock  which  they  feek  to  conceale^  is  maniteft  in  the  difference  of  Cafh  ic 
felf.  For  let  then  tranfporc  their  Cafh^  and  they  (hall  find  (ffas  before  is  faid,  thattheic 
Eftate'ftand  well) (that  C4^/is,  and  in  tranfporting  forward,  alwayes  remaineth  Creditor, 
Ballance  thd^tCajh,  and  tell  me  what  (hall  be  done  with  the  difference.  Carry  it  to  a  new  ac- 
count, what  then,^  there  it  will  prove  to  be  Stock.  Carry  it  to  Profit  and  Loffe,  there  it 
will  prove  to  be  Stockes  Augmenter.  Wonder  is  it^  that  thefe  and  many  other  For  rain  bred' 
defebs  mufl  now  be  cloathed  in  Englijh  Attiri^  and  pafTe  for  currant  amongft  us  I  Surely, 
our  Judgement  is  weak  in  the  difceming  of  this  Art, 

Phil.  I  perceive  their  ^JaTTages  in  Booking  of  thefr  Matters,doth  not  digeft  with  you  j  is 
there  a  more  plain  way  ^  difcover  that. 

Sch.  If  we  were  as  Exall  DifculJorsASv/e  are  Imitators  •,  we  had  not  been  (o  deforced, as  to 
entertain  thofe  Forr2indeteds,having  better  at  home. 

Lookiato  ^ames  Peek,  whofe  well- entrances,  through  neglcding  Age  (or  dlldain  of 
Domeftick  Writers,  and  extolling  ofForrain)  are  as  ffrange  to  us,  as  though  (as  the  fay- 
ing is)they  were  written  in  Heathen  Greek..  He  rtieweth  us  the  fit  ground- work,  how  to 
conceale  a  mans  Eftate,  in  the  Booking  of  his  private  accounts,  and  matters  maaifefted 
for  Mcrchandizipg. 

Phil.  Inflance  fome  particulars,how  to  Book  the  manifefted  part. 
Sch.  You  (peak  o(j>art ;  whether  he  bring  in  part,  or,  All',  who  can  certainly   know 
that  1  being  that  we  can  but  Aime  at  it,  as  the  Blind  at  the  colour  of  cloth.  And  for  that 
which  he  manifefteth,may  be 

//  Cafh,^ ^ 

\\Banck, //         ,.  . 

cntred|Perpetuanes, i    ^'f'""  ""^°  ^^= 

iMarmaduke  Man, ((     ^'^'^"^^  ^^^O^""' 

\j^ohn  Knoll sx.  Lisborn,  my  account  Proper,—]) 

Fhil.  How  fhall  the  Mafler,  or  Book-owner,  enter  into  his  fr/vrf/f  Books  the  thiftg*^ 
manifefted  for  Merchandizing  ^ 

rfCa(b, 
Sch.  Generall  account v,Banck, 
for  Traffick,  Debi-s:Perpetuanes, 
tot  to  fi  Marmaduke  Man, 

\  foJm  Knoll  at  LisborD,ray  account  Proper . 

157 


1 8  An  IntroduBion  to  Ader  chants  Jccompts. 


55 

57 

58 


59 


go. 


61 


6i 


P/'//.  Suppofe  there  is  gained  upon  Wares  fould. 

Sch.  Wares  Debitor  to  Private  account,  for  the  Gaines  •,  do  the  like  in  Faftor  accounts, 
and  all  other,upon  which  Gaines  arifeth. 

Thil.  Suppofe  I  lofe  by  Wares,  or  Exchanges. 

Sck  Private  account^  Debitor  to  Wares,  Exchanges,or,  unto  that  account^  upon  which 
LofTe  arifeth. 

Fhil.  At  the  Conclude  of  my  Book,  I  furrender  J»ftf»«^,De^//,  and  Hnfould- Wares. 
SckVuvzit  account  Debitor  to  CaihjMen,and  Wares,each  name  feverally. 

Fhil.  How  (hall  the  Book-owner  enter  back  in  his  private  Books  the /*>rrw</rfi  feverall 
matters  ?; 

Hil.  Cafh,  Men,  Wares,  each  name  feverally,  Debitor  to  Generall  account  for  Traf' 
Jick. 

Fhil.  How  fhall  the  Book-owner  enter  into  his  Private  Book,  the  Gaines  that  are  tound 
upon  his  Book  of  Traffick  i 
Sch.  Generall  account  for  Traffick,Debitor  to  Profit  and  Lofle. 

Thil.  But  if  he  loft  in  his  Book  for  Traffick. 

5f)&.  Profit,  and  Loffe  Debitor  to  Generall  account  for  traffict;  becaufeit  hath  fur- 
fendred  back  klTe,  then  formerly  was  confidented  unto  the  fame:  Judge  of  the  Gaines 
likewife,  that  the  Generall  account  for  Traffick  yielded  more,  then  the  firft  in-laid 
Principall.  Here  you  fee  the  matter  fUinly  dtfcurffed.  Here  you  fee  the  ground-work, 
by  which  they  are  confuted,  gathered  from  ene  of  our  own' Nation  5  which  to  their  mif-en- 
trings  might  rather  have  been 

A  worthy  Refutation, 
Then.by  their  Approbation 
To  bring  them  to  our  NatioOi 

But  it  feeemeth  that  this  Abfurdity  (anJ  many  more,  which  upon  due  Examination  of 
their  works  apparently  /  cm  make  appear)  was  not  difcerned,  or,  being  difcerned^  how  to 
amend  it.  Experience  had  not  befriended  them. 

PA//.Rehearfe Tome  other  Inftances  of  their  Mif-cntrances,  that  (for  the  Reader)  they 
may  be  as  Buojes  in  this  5M,to  keep  him  from  Ignorances  Ship- wrack. 

Sch.  Very  loth  am  I  to  frj  any  further  into  their  Books:  for  their  Adjurdttiet  are  ma- 
riy  in  divers  matters.  And  if  I  fhould  dive  into  them  all,  it  would  be  thought  that  I  one- 
ly  uttered  Satjricall  Snarlings,  where  my  flain  meaning  is,  to  ftirre  them  up  to  a  more 
feriottififidj, that  the  filly  beginner  be  not  ftuftrate  of  his  Expeiftation :  feeking  in  them 
('as  one  [zith)Sapientiaj  but  finding  Jpedia :  therefore  let  me  proceed  towards  our  intended 
purpofe. 

Phil.  Well  •,  for  this  time  let  us  do  as  you  defire :  What  followeth  next  to  treat  of, 
feeing  thfcJ»'i'f»'<";)',  with  the  Dependances  (which  is  ihe  frfl  matter  whereof  the  JoQr- 
nall  is  made)  are  difculTed  i 

Sch.  The  fecond  matter  whereof  the  ^ournallis  made,  is  the  next  thing  in  order  that 
we  are  to  treat  upon ;  and  proceedeth  from 

TRAFFICKES  CONTINUALL  EXERCISE, 

as  in  the  Ninth  place  is  rehearfed :  wherein  is  £0  be  confidered  three  Principall  accounts, 
confifting 

la 

15S 


An  IntrodnBim  to  Merchants  J^ccompts, 


'9 


^DerKefltck- affaires:  for  fo    I  terme  thofe  things > 

, "  ^^'V      ^Accounts:  and  eachV    T*"? ^ '" "^'^^"  Adminiftraxion,  adm.niftrate as 
laUFaHorage  ^    ^^-  ^^^^^      j^^^  •^^^^    chiefe  Manager  m  the  mattei  •,  whether  in  Prober. 
{^Comfsnj   2i  if      F'^^orage^oXj  Company  accounts. 

vForrame-affaires.-ioxio  do  I  nominate  tKofe  mat- 
ters, that  another  adminiftratcth  as  chiefe  Adlor  in  r  With  the  Wares  Bills 
thematcer,  without  hand-adion  of  me,  or,  fliine.*(/''i(!?cr    ^     and  Monies   that  I 

and  thus  do  my \partner  S     fend  to  him,  to  be 

J)  c     ioiployed  for  me. 

I  Friend:  unto  whom  I  fenc  my 
Matters  Wares,  becaufe  they  were  not  Vendible  here,  as  in  the  39.  place  is  expreffed  .•  the 
faid  Friend  is  to  be  countable  for  the  Sales  thereof  to  me,  and  I  to  my  Mafter ,  with 
whofe  order  I  fenr  them  thither-,  he  not  having  any  acquaintance  with  the  man,  nor 
Trading  for  that  place.  Of  thefc  t  intend  to  treat  in  order^i.%  they  are  entred  in  the  abovc- 
flanding  Table :  but  firfl  I  will  Book  fome  exquifite 

Rules  of  aide  ^  very  requiftt;  in  Trades  continuance^  to  be  learned  without  Book. 


r.Whatfoever  commethuntoKis  (whe* 
ther  Moay,  or  Wares)  for  Proper,  Fad:o- 
rage,  or  Company  account,  the  fame  is 
Debitor. 


2,  Whofoever  Promifeth,the  Promifet  is 
i — — -Debitor. 

3.  Unto  whom  we  pay  (?vhether  with 
Mony,  Wares,  Exchanges,  Aflignations)bc- 
ing  for  his  own  account  ••  that  man  is 
1 — Debitor, 


1.  Whatfoever  goeth  from  us  (whether 
Mony,  or  Wares)for  Proper, Fadorage,  or 
Company  account,  the  fame  is Creditor, 

2.  Unto  whom  we  Promife,  the  Promi- 
fcd  man  is Creditor. 

3.  Of  whom  we  receive  (whether  Mo- 
ny, Wares,  Exchanges,  Affignations)  be- 
in^  for  his  own  account  :  that "  man  is 
creditor. 


4.  Unto  whoim  we  pay  (as  abo^re)  for 
another  mans  account : 

The  man  for  whofe 'account  we  pay,  is 
Debitor. 


5.  When  we  buy  War^s  "for  another 
mans  account  (whether  we  pay  them  pte- 
fentIy,or  not,  that  is  all  one  in  the  efttrance) 
and  fend  them-unto  him,or  unto  another  by 
his  Older. 

The  man  for  whofe  account  we  bought  ^ 
and  fentthem,  is  for  the  Wares,  and  Char- 
ges,—  Debitor. 

6,  If  we  deliver  an  Affigtiation  unto  any 
man  (whether  it  be  our  own,  or  anotfeers) 
that  man  for  whofe  account  we  deliver  that 
Aflignation  in  payment,is Debitor, 

NOT  A, 
This  is  much  like  the  third  Article,  but 
this  is  here  thus  entred,  becaufe  this  Article 
is  here  more  largely  explained,  for  the  bet- 
ter underftanding  of  Aflignation. 


7.  When  we,or  any  other  man  for  ns,fen- 
deth  commodities  unto  another  Land,  or 
Towne,  to  be  fouldj  for  Proper  or  Company 
account,  then  is 


4.  Of  whom  we  receive  (as  above)  for 
another  mans  account: 

The  man  for  whofe  account  we  receive^ 
is Creditor, 

5.  When  we  buy  foT  our  felves,  or  for 
aflothcr  man,and  pay  not  prefently^ 

The  man  of  whom  we  bought  thofe 


Wares,  is- 


—Crtdiiori 


6.  Whofoever  delivereth  an  Aflignation 
unto  us  upon  any  man,for  his  own  account : 
the  man  of  whom  we  received  il,  is  Creditor. 

OR, 
Upon  whom  I  deliver  mine  Aflignation, 
to  be  paid  by  him  for  his  own  account ,  that 

man  is— -Creditor 

OR, 
Wholbever  (to  pleafure,  or  accommo- 
date me)  payeth  my  Aflignation,  the  ac- 
commodating man,is Creditor. 

7.  When  we  receive  advice  from  our 
Fadtor,  that  thofe  fent  commodities,  or  part 
of  them  are  fouldjOr  loft  then  is 

D  2  Voyage 


159 


20 


An  InlYodiBion  to  Merchants  Accowfts, 


Voyage  to  fuch  a  place  configned  to  fuch 
a  man Debitor. 

8.  When  we  pay  Cuftome,  Infurance , 
or  other  charges,-upon  the  fending  of  thofc 
commodities,thenis 

Voyage  (as  above)- — — Dtbttor. 

9.  When  we  caufe  the  fent  goods  to  be 
infured,   but  pay  it  not  prefently,  then  is 


<53 


Voyage  ("as  above)- 


-Bcbiti 


or. 


14.  If  we  remit  Exchanges  unto  any 
man,  for  himfelf,  for  me,  or  any  other 
man: 

TheFaftor,  If  forme^  or  the  man  for 
whofe  account  it  was  remitted  ,is — Debitor. 

15.  When  we  lofe  by  gratuities  given, 
whether  great,  or  fmall,or  howloever,  then 
is  Profit  and  Lofle jxbitor. 


Voyage  to  fuch  a  place  configne-d  to  fuch 
a  man Creditor. 

8.  Ca(h,  or  charges  of  Merchandizing  is 
Creditor.  Noia,  divers  Merchants  keep  fuch 
an  account  of  charges  of  Merchandizing, 
efpecially  thofe  that  have  Cafhiers  within 
their  own  houfe. 

p.  The  Infuier  is Creditor. 


lo.  When  we  enfure  any  mans  fent 
Wares,  and  receive  the  mony  prefently , 
then  is  Calli-: ■■ Debitor. 

n.  When  We  Infure  any  mans  fent 
Wares,  and  receive  not  the  mony  prefent- 
ly, then  is  the  man,  for  whofe  account  we 
Infured  thofe  Wares,- Debitor. 

12.  When  we  receive  advice,  that  the 
former  fent  Wares:,  or  part  of  them  are  fold, 
then  is 

The  Faftbr  that  fold  them  for  our  ac- 
count  ^ Debttor. 

15.  If  any  man  draw  Exchanges  upon 
us  for  himfelf,  or  for  any  other  man,  the 
man  for  whofe;  account  the  fame  was  drawn, 
is-_ — — Debitor. 


10.  Infurance-reckoning,"^ 

Or  ^is  Creditor. 

Profit,  and  Loffe. — ^ 
Chufe  of  thefe  which  you  pleafe. 

11.  As  above Creditor. 

Hota, 
Merchants  that  trade  muchin  thiskinde, 
ufe  an  a;:count  in  their  Books,  called  Insu- 
rance-reckoning. 

12.  When  we  receive  JZf(«r»«,  either  in 
Mony  or  Wares,  in  lieu  of  thofe  fould 
WareSjthen  is 

The  Fador  that  payeth  us,  or  caufeth  us 
to  be  paid, — '■ ■> Creditor. 

13.  If  we  draw  Exchanges  upon  any 
man  for  hfmfelf,  or  for  any  other  man,  the 
man  for  whofe 'account  we  draw,  tlie  fame 
is Creditor. 


14.  If  any  man  remitteth  Exchanges  un,to 
us  for  himfelf,  for  me,or  for  another  man  5 

The  Fador,  if  for  me,  or  the  man  for 
whofe  account  the  fame  was  remitted  to  nie 
is Criekter, 

15.  When  we  gain  by  gratuities  recei- 
ved, whether  great,  or  fmall,  or  howfo- 
ever,then  is  Profit,and  LofTe — • — Creditor. 


Phil.^  Having  thus  placed  your  Rules  ef  4;Wf, proceed  (as  was  determined)  to  the  firft  of 
your  before-mentioned  Principall  accounts. 

Sch.  The  firft  nominated  Principall  account(for  plain  apprehenfions  fake)  I  will  dij^Uj 
under  the  form  of  account, 


Prpm 


160 


An  IntroduBion  to  Merchants  Acompts,  ii 


64 


c$ 


66 


in 


( Bujing,  apon  feverall  conditions  .•  See  the  64.  place. 

1  shipping  «f  Warts  to  another  Towne,  or  Land,   to  be 

j     (ould  for  my  account:  See  the  85. place. 
rr.      at.  .if.;,.,        1  StUmf  upon  fcvetall  conditions :  See  the  pj-place. 
CDomefiuk-Mfatres.        \     ^    ^  ^W'-w:  Seethe  10 j.  place, 

vvhofe  parts  may  bei,^l"'t('"'r>fsyi?ot*j^^„j,Sf:etht  lop.^hc^. 

j  Receiving :  See  the  108.  place,having  12.  branches. 

I  Gratuity  :  See  the  1 10.  place. 

(faying :  See  the  1 1 1.  place. 

r  Advice ,  that  the  fent  goods,  r  Sould  j  See  the  1 1 3. place, 
S       or,  part  of  them  are        \Loft  ••  See  the  1 1 7.  place. 
Forratn-affanes  ,  Con-<r  ^pfrares:  See  the  1 19,  place, 

lifting  in  ^Reiurnes  m^^^y ,  see  the  1 2 1.  place. 

Phil.  The  Table  being  entred  in  briefe  as  above,  reqaireth  an  cxplaiumg  5  therefore  leC 
me  fee  your  Entrances  upon  each  member  apart. 

Sch.  The  parts  being  divided  into  Affaires  Dome  flick,  and  Forrairte,  I  intend  to  treat  firft 
ofthefirft}  and  therein  again  of  the  branches  orderly  as  they  follow,  whofe  beginning  is 
with 

BUYING. 

i')^/.I%Wheat,andpay  for  the  fame  prefentiy,  even  upon  the  receit  thereof:  How 

Sch.  Wheat  Debitor  to  Cafh.  Neta,  Some  wilUthatof  the  like  Paffages  fliouldbe 
made  a  double  Entrance,  becaufe  upon  all  Occafions  the  mans  name  might  be  found  upon 
the  Alphabet :  each  do  his  pleafure  -,  I  account  this  way  clear,  and  evident.  For  afterward 
if  any  controverfie  (hould  arife,  that  Book  (from  whence  the  Queftion  arifcth)  will  {hew 
the  Year,  and  Mpneth  -,  then  is  it  upon  my  Book  eafie  to  be  found.  Nota^  All  accounts  of 
Commodittcs  taaAhdivdintsrvithin^  to  keep  the  qmaiityoi EBs,Meaf»re,  Weighty  and  the 

hke. 

PA/Z.IBuyRyeContant.butpaynotinnantly.  r    -c   ^ 

Sch  Rye  Debitor  to  the  Man  of  whom  T  bought  it.  Nota,  the  word  Contant  hgniheth, 
upon  Demand;  and  that  again,for  1.2.3.  daies,  or  1.2. or  three  weeks:  generally,  it  is  indu- 
ded  under  onemoneths  time  ;  for  tnat  which  is  contained  under  the  nomination  of  monethf^ 
is  1.2.3.  or  nlore  moneths. 

67  i     thil.  I  buy  upon  two  moneths  time  a  little  parcell  of  Pepper,  Ginger,  Cloves,  or  the 
like  •,  fome  one  parcell  to  the  value  of  10. 1'  and  fome  leffe. 

Sch.  Groceries,  Debitor  to  the  Af/jwof  whom  I  bought  them :  underftand  my  meaning, 
which  is  not,  that  I  (hould  make  the  Commodity  Debitor  to  the  Mam  fervant,  becaufe  I 
bought  It  of  him.-,  but  unto  the  Principal!,  or  Man,.  r<»n'/;tfw;>^f/(»»^f//',  mrefpeclot  ray 
knowledge  Nota,  the  Entrance  of  that  which  I  buy,  upon  2.  Daies,2.  Moneths,  2.  Years, 
is  all  as  one.-   for  my  acknowledged  man  muft  be  known  upon  my  Books,  as  well  for 

2.  Daics,  as  for  2.  Years. 
>ro       F^;/  I  buy  Latton-wyre  upon  3.  moneths  paying  i;,  part  prefentiy. 

Sch  Latton-wyre  Debitor  to  the  Man  Principal!,  from  whence  it  came.  And  then,Af4» 
PrtncipalL  Debitor  to  Cafn, fox  the  ^-pait  now  paid.  I  enter  this  thus  in  t;  parts,  be- 
caufe fome  make  the  Bought  Wares  Debitor  to  the  Selling  man,  for  the  part  upon  Time: 
and  Wares  Debitor  to  CaHi,  for  the  part  paid.  Here  you  fee  Wares  are  divided  mto  two 
parts,(which  is  unfeemly)  and  therefore  muft  have  two  Journall  parcells :  fo  there  is  every 
way  as  much  writing,  as  to  make  the  Wares  Debitor  to  the  man  for  the  whole  •,  and  then, 
liim  Debitor  to  Calli  for  the  paid  part.  But  it  I  buy  feverall  Wares  to  pay  h  part  in  mo- 
ney, what  brave  divifions  would  then  arife '.  For  each  parcell  muft  have  two  Debuoi  s  and 

'  Creditorsj. 

161 


Zl  An  JfitrocfuBion  to  Merchants  Jccompts. 


69 


70 


Creditors,  which  will  be  no  fmall  trouble -,  or  elfe  they  muft  learn  to  place  their  parcels 
•wuh  more  jodgment. 

Phil.  I  buy  Cloth  upon  9.  n-icneths  Time,  which  is  to  ride  out  j,  then  to  difcount  for  6. 
moneihs  .•  paying  for  tbcm  in  Banck,  and  otjoy  Banck- monies  allowance  in  hand. 

Jf;^.  Cloth  Debitor  to  the  Mian,  for  the  whole  coft  upon  p.  Moneths  ••  <i»<i/^?«,  the 
Man  Debitor  to  Cloth  for  the  Difcount  5  ard  then^  the  Man  Debitor  to  Banck  for  the 
fummewrit  in.-  andther.,Cz(h  Debitor  to  Profit  and  LclTe-,  becaufe  the  monyby  me 
written  in  Banck,and  the  Difcount,  counter- vailed  the  firfl  Principall  upon  9.moncths. 

Phil.  I  buy  Barly  upon  b.moneths  timejdifcounting  inftantly  ;  paying  part  in  Mony.part 
by  AfTignement,  part  with  Rye  .the  remainer  in  Banck,  abating  fo  muchasthe  Banck- 
monies  allowance  is  wDrth. 

i{h.  Barly  Debitor  to  the  Man,  for  the  whole  upon  8.  moneths  :  2.  the  Man  Debitor  to 
Calh  for  the  fumme  payd  .■  3 .  the  Man  Debitor  unto  him,  who  was  to  pay  my  Aflignati- 
onfor-hisownaccount :  4.  The  Man  Debitor  to  Rye,  for  the  delivered  value:  5.  The 
Man  Debitor  to  Banck  for  the  fumme  made  good,  cither  upon  his  account,  or,  upon  the 
accouiitofanother,by  hisorder:6.  TheMan  Debitor  to  Profit,  and  LofTe,  for  Banck- 
monies  allowance  -,  becaufe  this,  and  the  Banck-mony,  make  both  but  one  compleat  part 
of  payment.-  but  it  I  had  writ  in  Banck  his  compleat  part  of  payment,  and  he  made 
good  the  mony  for  Banck  allowance  to  me,  by  paying  it  in  hand  5  thtn  rauft  we  enter, 
Ca(h  Debitor  to  Profit,  and  LofTe  :  7.  The  Man  Debitor  to  Barly  for  the  8.  moneths  dif- 
count. Nota^Hetiry  waninghen.  Chapter  2.  £^cfiion  14.  entcreth  the  Man  Debitor  to  Pro- 
fit, and  Lofle,  tor  the  difcount.  Pa(]chier  GWj(/<»/,  ju  VJamburglj,  printed  1594.  pircell 
44. 47.  and  others,  entreth  the  like.  Johanna  Buingha, /dig  ^9,  ^f/?/<>»  7.  entreth  the 
hke.  f.  Carfenur^fol.^^.  his  Booking  is  with  Henry  Waninghen  the  14,  farceU  alike  5  and 
,.  -ncly  an  Imitator:  and  fo  of  other  Authors.  But  premeditation  ftieweth,  that  the  iJf- 
/faff/ofcommodities(hould»ff/^f  carried  unto  Profit,  and  Loffe,  as  our  printed  Authors 
in  generall  do,  without  any  further  in- fight  into  the  nature  ot  the  matter :  For  Barlj^v/hkh 
heiorev/is  Barly  apon  Time, hnovr  become  Bariy  for  Ready-menj  ;  which  atche  buying 
(in  refpeft  of  the  Time  I  was  to  fland  out,and  have  the  ufc  of  the  mony  in  mine  mn  hands) 
coft  me  we^f  then  it  now  will  yield  me  Ready  mony -,  the  while  then  B/*ri^  upon  8.  mo- 
neths was  more  chargedat  the  buying,  then  it  now  is  worth  Centant^  reafon  requireth  that 
Barl/^  (liould  be  dtfcharged^  becaufe  I  have  disburfed  my  mony  .•  See  Ralph  Handfon  upon 
Abatements  in  his  Table. 

This  muft  be  well  regarded  in  5f^4r«,  to  the  end,  that  tzch  Herfe  may  bear  his  own 
Burthen  •,  well  noting,  that  the  Rebatet  are  not  made  good  in  fnony:  See  Ralph  Handfon, 

ffS'Butifwebuyfundry  commodities,  and  have  an  allowance  upon  the  whole  buying, 
then  muft  we  enter, 

The  man  of  whom  I  bought,  Debitor  to  Profit,  and  LofTe  Proper  .•  for  »«>  one  commo- 
dity may  enjey  the  allowance  made  upon  the  whole  Cargo,or  ParcclLj  and  to  make  a  divifi- 
on  ptorato,  of  each  commodities  Capitall,  would  be  a  troubleforae(btttrue)  worke: 
therefore  Profit  and  Lofle  is  the  briefeft  carriage  in  fuch  matters,  being  the /"^cw  alter 
either  of  the  wayes,  tedoundeth  unto  our  finall  advance  for  the  Abatement.  This  in  briefe. 

r>    ■    SForReady-mony,andprefentlypay:  bee  theds.place. 
^"y^g^Upon  time,the  conditions  being  feverall :  See  66,67,68,5p,7o. 

BARTER,  OR  TRUCKE. 

„j        f/;//.  1  buy  Wares.for  other  Wares-,  value  being  equall. 

^f^.  In  bought  Wares(v«hat  name  foever)  Debitor  to  the  Deliverd  Wares :  this  is  fel- 
dome  feen.  05-  But  if  writing  be  not  tedious  unto  us,  or  we  not  paper-penurious ,  the 
bcft,and  moft  uni- forme  Booking  fin  refpedi  of  the  generall  verieties)  of  giving,  or  recei- 
ving of  divcrfities  (being  Wares,  and  Mony,  or  feverairWares^  istohave  the  received 
Wares  Debitor  to  the  Trucking  M.an ;  rnd  then,tbe  Trucking  Man  Debitor  to  the  Deli- 
'  vered  Wares, 

FM, 

162 


An  InttocidBion  to  Merchants  Aaompts,  2; 


11 


74 


75 


7<5 


77 


72        Phil.  You  have  related  your  mtndc  in  things  of  an  Equall  value-,  but  If  1  boy  Wares 
paying  with  o/Z'^r  Wares  and  Mony. 

Sch.Henn  Wintnghcn,  chapter  2,  untothe  6.  ^uipon^  anfwereth  in  Dutch-,  Trgott 
uatmcn  fcopt  a?fb<aeti  vTaaa,  33aecnaer,  CaffA  3Dtbitatnt  gott  oatmctitocghaft,  /  z«^///J  n : 
The  Wares  that  we  buy,  Debitor  to  Ca(h  •,  aftirwArds^  Ca(h  Debitor  to  the  Wares  that 
we  deliver:  *f/^«f,  The  Wares  that  I  buy  are  worth  loo.  1.  and  the  Wares  that  I  deli- 
ver are  worth  90.  l.Confequently,  lfAjingtheMdrt^\\Q  muft  have  90. 1.  in  Wares,  and 
10. 1.  in  Menj  -,  fo  that  Cajh  is  for  the  10. 1.  paid,  more  Credit  then  Debit  j  therefore  Cafll 
huh  its  due.  With  Henrf  IVaninghen  agreeth  f.  Carp  enter,  fol.  2.  farcelPS.  as  bove  5  he 
writethjthe  goods  bought,  owe  unto  Ca(h  for  the  whole  furame:  and  after^ .  Ci(\\  ow* 
eth  unto  the  goods,   which  you  have  delivered  to  the  Seller,  for  the  value  of  them. 

Phil.  Seeing  you  Jruitate  inentringof  their  «<&rds  ^  haVe  tti^y  your  Jpprobatiori  * 
5f/>.'l  have  related  their  words,  not  as  an  dffeCHoriate- Follower,  but  as  an  Admirer  of 
thch  imitation.  For  as  in  the  17.  and  51.  place  by  thisi:J"is  faid;  Cafli  may  not  be  »^- 
medi  no  not  Named)  but  where  Mo»y  is  either  Really  paid,  or  received:  Nota^  and  the  while 
that  it  isabfolurelyfalfe,  thatCafli  hath  in  the  above- meftiioned  72.  place  not  paid  oat 
loo.l.butonely  lo.l.norhathicrftrff'x'f^/any  pcny  of  the  90. 1.  therefore  foe  the  90.  L 
on  each  fide,  I  fay  Cafj  is  an  ^{[e, 

Phit.  But  in  the  conclufion,  itcometh  all  foone  porporc. 

Sch.  That  is  not  meteriall :  why  many  words,  when  few  may  fuffice  <  For  ^.  Carpeniei" 
fol.  ^z.  par  cell  7,  anfwereth  dire£i  to  the  number  %  rhegocis  which  you  buy,  owe  to  the  5f/- 
/fr.-Andcontrarily,  Heowethto  Ca(b,  and  to  the  goods  which  you  have  deliveredhim.  This 
IS  fomewhat  like  a  mans  mony :  But  as  in  the  71.  place  isfaid-,  Idlenefle  inwwting,of 
Penurioufneffe  in  paper,  is  the  caufe  of  thefe  FoUy  entrances.  For  not  onely  in  this,'  but  ia 
Exchan^eSjand  the  like,  becaufe  we  will  not  have  (as  fomc  terme  it)  a  Book  full  of  names^ 
we  mufThave  our  palTagesfmothered'uhder  the  covert  of  Imaginary  nbfcutityt,  whereas 
we  may  have  them  delectably  Booked,  if  we  were  not  fparing  in  writing.3Daer  en  tfl  met, 
jonoertcfodct,  Nothing  without  trouble.  But  I  have  no  time  to  difcuffe  other  mens  works  3 
theretore  let  me  proceed. 

Phil.  I  buy  Wares,  delivering  a  g-eat  value  •,  ^nd  receiving  the  Over-plus  back  ia 

Mony. 

Sch.  In-bought  Wares  Debitor  to  rhr  Selling  Man,  for  their  value-,  2.  The  Man  De- 
bitor to  Delivered  Wares,  for  their  value  •  3.  Ca(h  Debitor  to  the  Man,  for  tl-e  Received 
mony,  to ''quail  the  Truck.  So,  in  brief-,  it  the  Wares  are  of  an  equall  value,  rAf»  enter 
Bought  Wares,  Debitor  to  the.Trading  man.-  1.  Trading  Man  Debitor  to  Delivered 
Wares?  becaufe  the  value  is  eqoall.  If  un-equall,  and  Mony  given  -,  then  enter,  In-boughc 
Wares  Debitor  to  the  Trading  Man :  and  /Af»,Trading  Man  Debitor  to  Delivered  Wares, 
and  to  Calh.  But  if  un-equall,  and  Mony  Received ,,  In^ bought  Wares,  and  CaOi,  Debitor 
to  the  Trading  Man :  and  then.  Trading  \f3n  Debitor  to  Delivered  Wares.  And  fo  I  pro- 
ceed to  Wares  bought,which  ate  to  be 

Delivered  race,  2.  3.  Weckes,or  Moneths  after 
the  agreement. 

Phil.  I  buy  Wares,  agreeing  now  for  Quantity,  and  Price  •,  bat  am  to  receive  them  23 
moneths  hence. 
Sch.  The  Promiftttg  MaitisX>thkoT  to  Promt  fereckoning. 

Phil.  I  have  already  by  this  one  parcell  conceived,  that  you  digreffc  from  divers  Printed 

Aathors :  for, 

Paffchier  Goefjens  ofBruQel^m  the  German  Language, 
Pieter  Nicolaefen  Daventrienfis, 
^ohn  Wiltcmfon  ofL<uven> 

163 


+4 


An  {niYodvBion  to  Mercfoatns  /Iccompts, 


107 


208 


209 


Tra-nfpoiting  of  Accounts  in  the  Leager  from  one 

Leafe  ««/<;  another. 

Phi!.  What  are  the  Motives  ? 

Sch.  They  may  be  fn'c-,  the  one,  when  the  Leaves  of  the  Leager  are  full  written  in 
the  Debitor,   or  Creditor  fide,  or  both.   The   other,  becaufe  tlie  formtr  accounts  are 
fo  that  upon  foot  of  that  account,  generally  there  remainetli  a  remalner  due 
from  me  •,   and  we  will  have  the  accounc  begumie  again  upon  a  New 


concluded, 
to  me,    or 
Leafe. 


Phil.  Is  this  all  -i 

Seh.  Herein  again  is  to  be  obferved ,  whether  thofe  accouhts  that  are  to  be  Tran- 
fpotted,  ht  Com?wdiiiei-accounts,  which  in  New  leaves  are  to  be  continued  as  upoa 
the  former:  or,  whether  they  are  Sfjips-fa-ns^Houics,  Rents,  Lands,  Intcrefts,  Infuran- 
ces  Factor- Accounts ,  or  the  like  :  ot  which  (for  that  time)  we  make  no  eflimaiion  of 
Efiate,  but  onely  a  tranfport  for  Tradings  further  continuance,  untill  a  Gcnerall  Ballance 
be  made. 

ph:l.  How  muft  Commodities-reckonings  fitly  be  tranfportedjto  make  true^omnd^ 
parcellsofthem  t 

Sch.  1ti  all  tranfports  (if  poiTible)  muft  heedfully  be  heeded,  that  not  any  parcel!  be  po- 
fted  with  BlirJc-jiimmcs^  or  Biancks,  as  feme  tearme  them :  that  is,  Not  without  Monj- 
fummes.  Many  in  their  Books  tranfport  with  Blankcs  in  their  Leager,  yet  have  Mony  to 
tranfport,  if  they  had  An  to  carry  them  handfomcly  forwards ;  to  which  end  obferve  the 
enfoing  Documents. 

Suppofe  the  Wares  were  Cambrix-cloth,  and  the  \vho\G  Debitor- fide  contamed400. 
Peeces,whichcoft7(55.r.8.6.  and  that  the  whole  faleinthe  Creditor- fide  wereayS.  Pec- 
ceS",  producing  in  mony  789.1'. 10. 6.  Nota,  thefe  cannot  be  fubftraded  from  each  other 
to  make  Jouinall  parcells,  but  in  the  one  will  be  Wares  without _Mony  5  and  in  the  other 
Mony  without  Wares :  which  kind  of  Tranfports  are  very  abfurd,  though  ufed  by 
many. 


Their  forme  U  as  thii  Jnflmce. 


Debitor. 


2  June,coftof  Peeces.  400,  7 
7^  Auguft,carried  to  new  ac-  j 

count. 9 

Peeces40o.  789.1*.  10. 


7558- 

I 
242 


Creditor, 

3  July,  fales  of  Peeces. 378. 
7  Auguffjcarried  to  new  ac- 
count.  1 22 

Peeces  400. 789.  X.  10. 


78910 


1  r 


To  avoid  the  above-entred  abfurdity  of  Wares  in  one  Journall  parcell,  but  no  Mort) ;  and 
ii/ij;?;  in  the  other  Journall  parcell,  but  w  Wares:  enter  as  the  enfuing  Journall  inflance 
inftanceth. 

Cambrix-cloth  upon/tf/«  30.  Debitor  to  Cambrix-cloth  upon  folio  12.  76  j.  F.  8. 6.  for 
the  prefent  cofls  of  40o.Peeces,  being  the  whole  Debitor- fide,  in  Wares,  and  Mony  foe 
want  of  place  tranfported  to  a  new  leafe,the  raony  is  76s.\'.S,s. 

And  then 

Cambrix- cloth  upon /o//'<»  12.  Debitor  to  Cambrix-cloth  upon /<;/«  30. 789.  f.  10,  g. 
i  for  the  fales  of  2 7  8.  Peeces,  being  the  whole  Creditor-fide,in  Wares,  and  Mony,  tran- 
fported for  want  Of  place  to  a  new  leafe,  the  mony  being 789.1'. 10. g. 

Thus  ought  each  Journall  parcell  in  Wares  tranfporting  truly  to  be  Journalized  , 
then  the  Leager  will  ftand  as  this  enfuing  inftance  inffanceth. 

/*/,  13. 


164 


210 


all 


Jn  InttoduBion  to  Merchants  Jccompu, 


45 


\  Foil  2.         Dihitor. 

2  Jane,  cofts  of  Peeces.  400. 
Au^'uft ,  carried  to  new  ac- 

couttt  Peeces, ^ — 278 

Peeces  678. 15 54. 1'.  18.  0. 


77^5 


30789  10  — 


12.  Creditor, 


—  .78910 


July,  faks  of  Peeces.  278 . - 
AuguftjCarricd  to  new  ac-     1 

count. 400  30765I.8 

Pecces.678.i554.l'.  18.6.     I 


ai2 


aij 


And  fol*»  30.  n^'^'  fi^^d 
7.Aug.coftsofPeeceS40o.765.r.8.6.  "y.Aug.fales  of  Peeces  278.789.l'.io.§. 

Here  you  fee  the  Leager  ftand  again  as  formerly  it  did,  to  be  continued  in  writing,  as 
before :  here  yon  fee  each  Journall  parcell  corapleately  earned :  and  thus  ought  Faftor- ac- 
counts to  be  crolTed  ••  Forrain-mony,  under  Forrain-mony,  as  here  Peeces  under  Peeces : 
andlnl  ndilvmony  under Inlandillvmony,  as  before  is  inftanced.  i^./.,  Do  the  ike  m 
Houfe  I  ands  Rents,  Legacies,  Interefts,  Ships-parts,  Infurances  and  the  Uke  ••  becaufe 
SrpScipall(byDeduaion)aiouldnot  beDiminifned  untill  the  finall  finiav.ng  ot  thofe 

accounts, 

Phil  Is  this  an  ufuallcourfe  in  the  transporting  ofall  kinds  of  ace  cunts? 

<:ch  'no: In y our. Generall  accounts  with  Common-trading-people,  as  alfo  inO//,, 
Bank,  Stock,  Profit  and  LoflTe,  or  the  Uke:  deduft  the  Lc([er  from  the  Greater,  and  make  a 
Journall  parcell  for  the  difference,  as  thus : 

If  the  Debitor- fide  of  any  of  the  above-named  accounts  (which  arc 
tobetranfportedXbeheavieft,  then  for  the  differertce  make  the 

Ue't^  account  Debitor  to  the  old 

IftheCrfi/'<'''-j?^^beheavieft,  then  for  the  difference  oi  ^ay  oi  thofe  ac- 
counts, make  the 

old  account  Dehitor  to  the  ^euf. 

PM.  What  Obfervationsarife  from  hence  ^  ^    ..     , 

Sch.  Hence  is  it  raanifea,  that  in  the  Leager  ought  to  be  neither  Df^//.r,nor  CredttorM^ 
iuch  as  have  their 

Orlginall  from  the  journall, 

whole  proper  Office  it  is,to  explain  why  the  (»«fr^-i»,  or //;/«^  is  Indebted  unto  the  ot*ier,. 
Ts  hereafter  in  the  Explication  of  the  Journall  Office  (hall  appear  m  the  244.  place:  andfo 
I  end  with  the  Third  Ground  matter,oi  which  the  Journall  is  made. 

Phil.  Explicate  thi  fourth  Ground- r»atter,  of  which  the  Journall  is  made. 
Sch.  The  fourth  Member  of  the  9.  place,  faith,that  it  proceedeth  from  the 

Eqtidi:(i»g,  or,  eVen-nuking  of  oyer,  or,  under'tniaftires^ 
Weight ,  Leackage ,  Pounds ,  Ells, 
or  the  like. 

p)&»7.  Inftancefome  matters  in  Prof  (fr-dfffl«»f/.  .  . 

^.t  When  we  find  any  u-nder-me^^rc  in  Corn,  or  Z..t.?nn  Wine,  or  5/W  m 
Len-th  then  enter, Vxo?^t  and  LofTe  Debitor  to  the  mnting-mmers  rating  it  as  you  pleafe - 
for  that  rating  neither  augmentetb,nor  diminill^eth  your  Eftate .  but  is  onely  done  for  de- 
centnel,tohVmonyrntheDebit,andCreditoffuchJournallparceU:.  ^^.^^ 

165 


A(S  yfn  IntYoduBion  to  Merchants  Accomps, 


ai4 


215 


116 


217 


118 


MP 


Phil.  Rehearfe  fome  inftances  in  Jd^cM^f- accounts. 

Sch.  If  in  weight  I  find  in  any  commodity  lefTe  by  falcs,  beciufe  of  drinefs,  or  the  like  • 
t»t(r,  John  Knoll  his  account  CunantjDebitor  to  John  Knoilhis  account  of  Saffron:  ratin" 
them  as  before,  to  Wing  them  into  the  /n<fform  oi  Debitor  and  C^A//(or , in  Journall  and 
Leager.  Hence  may  eafily  be  gathered  how  to  deal  in  Company- accounts;  which  I  now 
pad'e,  and  fo  proceed  to  the  next  matter  in  order. 

Phil.  Whence  arifeth  the  Fift  Ground- matter^  thatmaketha  Member  o£  the  Jourr 
nallr 
Sch.  In  the  p.  place  it  is  faid  to  arife  from  the 

Ledgers -Conclujion^  or  BdUanc'mg  of  the 
Leager. 

Phil.  What  Cauies  may  move  a  man  toa  Generall  Ballance  i 
Sch.  The  fame  ma^y  be  either  of  thefe  thiee  .• 

1.  When  the  Journall,  and  Leager  are' full  written;^—.      .     p, 
fo  that  there  muft  be  New-Books :- '■ r  Then  is  a  Bal- 

2 .  When  a  Merchant  ceofeth  fiom  Tiading : ^  J?"<^^  ^^^^^ 

?.  When  thebook-Owner  departeth  this  world: j| 

Phil.  What  underftand  you  by  the  word  Ballance  ? 

Sch,  By  Ballance  \  under/land,  A»  Ec^nall- making  in  Equivalent  manmr  all  theOpert- 
Jlanding  Leager-accottnts ^  trsinCponlngail  thofe  Open- {landing  Leager  differences  under 
One  laft  framed  accounts  Title,  whofe  name  Generally  we  call  Ballance :  for  being  that 
that  account  incltidefh  all  the  Leagers  remaining  differences  j  fo  itconcludeth  with  One  fole«. 
ly  it  felf.  Ncta.^  the  word  Ballance  feemeth  to  be  borrowed  from  a  pair  of  Scales :  for  as 
true  Scales  ought  neither  to  be  heavier  then  other  j  foa  truetaked  Generall  Ballance  ought 
not  to  differ  the  leaft  naming  value  :  for  the  Generall  Debitor  and  Creditor  rnufl  juftly 
counter-poize  each  other  in  even-monies  nominatioa^  elfe,  the  Btiolt  is  out  of  fqoare;  the 
fumraes  ill  taken,  or  amiffe  added.  In  place  of  the  viotd  Ballance ^1  fhould  rather  enter 
Eftate  reckoning  :  for  by  drawing  the  whole  Book  to  a  head,  I  draw  with  One  an  accoiint 
of  my  Eliate.  Simon  Stevin  in  his  Princely  Book- keeping,  carrielh  the  Leagers  difference  at 
the  Years  end,  unto  iht  firjl  hegun  Stockyvhenhe  tegan  his  Books:  but  he  cootradi(5i:eth 
him  felf.  For  h?  began  well  the  Firfi  dayof  January,  in  making  all  that  owed  to  him  Df^/- 
^tfw  to  Stock-,  and  Stock  Z>f^//tfr  to  thepti  who  were  Debt-demavders:  but  at  his  L'e^grs 
concluding^  the  3 1.  of  December,  he  entreth  Stock  Debitor  to  his  Debitors  5  and  he  entreth 
his  Debt  demanders,  as  Augmentors  of  his  Stock.  Such  entrances  made  by  him  are  but  a 
miflakeonelj  •,  in  me  they  were  meer  Abfurdities.' 

Ballance  is  either  a  trialk  or  TrM^hdlancet 
Of  the  Tryall- ballance. 

Phil.  Relate  the  manner  of  making  a  Tryall-ballance." 

Sch.  Add  the  Debitor  fu'mmes  of  all  the  Leager  Un-equall open-fiandiiig-all(0Hnti 
upon  a  Paper  together,  or 'in  a  Book  thereto  prepared:  thert  ^  add  all  the  Creditoc 
parcels  in  the  whole  Leager  together  by  themfelves-,  becaufe  the  Uniformiij  of  the  Gemrall 
Additions  fhould  be  manifefted;  if  they  be  to  each  other  equivalent,  then  (if  no 
whole  parcell  be  left  out)  are  the  joyxxn^Xymonjparcells  tmt\y  tranfported  into  the  Lea* 
ger. 

Thil,  What  more  is  to  be  faid  of  the  Tryall-  ballance. . 

Sch.  The  Trfall'hsllame  is  oitpo  forts  .•  The  fiift  is  a  Survay  (as  above)  of  the  Lwger 

accounts, 

166 


//;  IntroduWion  to  Merchants  Accompts,  4.7 


220 


3il 


a  J.  2 


"S 


eccoiints  {o  foon  as  all  the  parcclls  arc  tranrported  out  of  the  }Vafle-l>ook  into  the'Journall, 
antf  from'thence  into  the  Leager :  Neta,  before  any  unfold  wxra,  or  GAm,  and  Lo^e  of  any 
accountsbe  meddled  with.  Of  fuch  matter  is  thefiift  hi\hnc&oii\ie  three- fold- monj-hal. 
/rf««in  my  Great  Wafte-Book,  printed  16 21. at  Amfterdam in  Engli(h,and Dutch ?  and 
fhftU  be  in  this  Book. 

^  Pbil   Inftance  the  fecond  fort.  ^       ,.     /■   ,, 

Sch  '  The  fecond  fort  of  the  Tryall-halLvice  is  feen^when  all  unjould  WareSyZnd  Out-hnd- 
tlh  mo'nits.  are  rated  ••  all  AUtemnts,z<.  likewife  Gaines  or  Lo(jes  are  known.  Of  fuch  matter 
•s  the  fecond  Three- double- menf-balUnce  in  my  Great  Waflc-Book  j  and  (hall  be  in  this.  In 
Ihis  (ccond  ballance  is  alfo  comptifed  the  parcells  appertaining  to  the  true  ballancc :  *//f,thac 
fecond  balUnce  could  not  be  even- weighty. 

Of  the  True-hallance. 

Phil,  Proceed  to  the  fame. 

Sch.  The  tmc-hMlance  arifeth  from  the  Remainers  of  Leager  accounts ;  as  well  in  Menjy 
Unfold  W ares,  ffl^-J^ifniot  wholly  fold,  Houf'^,  Lands,  People,  (jrc  not  yet  compleatly 
perfeded :  and  are  therefore  tranfported  to  the  New- Books',  to  be  there  fully  finifhed : 
Leavin°the  old- Books  to  their  perpetuall  reft,  except  fome  Scrupulom  matter  moleft 
them  Of  fuch  matter  is  the  Third  ballance  of  the  Three-douhle-mny-ballance  in  my  Great 
Wafte- Book,  and  fhall  be  in.this. 

OhferVations  in  hdlitncing  of  the 
Leager. 

ButforaPt'eparati\/e,  firH  »o/Mhat  w^»  as  the  Monies,  Wares,  Voyages,  Houfes, 
Lands  and  people  were  in  their  accounts  (whether  Debitors,  or  Creditors)  even  fo  muft 
they  ft'andinyour  Ballance :.  and  fo  of  each  other  matter.  Reafon,  for  Ballance  repre- 
fenteth  in  that  onelyaccoant,all  that  the  other  reprefent  through  the  vyhole  Book :  for  if 
they  were  Debitors,  Ballance  is  a  Debitor  in  their  place:  if  they  were  Creditors,  Ballance 
is  hkewifc  a  Creditor. 

f^/.  Go  forwards  in  this  matter.  ,  „     .        ,     .  ,„.  •  i, 

Sch.  There  ought  to  beobferved  A  Decent  Order  m  Leagers  ballancmg  ••  that  ts,  Whicft 

account  ought /fr/?  to  be  concluded,  and  which  laftj  both  in  Dehiter-zad  Creditor  lidt: 

this  is  not  of  Neceflity,butfar  Decentneffe  in  Order* 

Phil.  Profecute  yoar  opinion  in  the  Order. 

Sch.  Firft,  ballance  the  accounts  of  the  People  of  whom  yoa  bonghc:  or  to  whom 
youfould:  Rearon:  becaufe  all  Difcoants,  Abatements,  Mif-caftings,6r  Omifllons  that 
have  happened,'  may  be  redified :  to  the  end-each  account  may  bear  its  own  burthen :  take 
then  the  difference  of  each  mans  account  (being  found  to  agree)  .and  enter  them  into  your 
E-jAlance-Book  (as  in  the  218.  place  is  mentioned)  untill  the  finall  Ballance  be  found  even- 
weighty. 


224. 


ras 


Phil.  Which  next?  ,    ,f     c 

Sch.  Secondly,  ballance  the  Peoples  accounts  with  whom  you  had  to  deal  tor  fcx- 
changes,  Affignations,  or  the  hke :  entring  the  differences  into  your  Ballance-  Book  there- 
unto prepared, 

Phil.  What  followeth '. 

Sch.  Tlurdly,  ballance  your  Fa/Jors  accounts :  firft  for  Prsper,  and  then  for  C^wf -<«/, 
,  (h-ox  there  is  ho  neceiVity  in  this  Order;  as  it  faid)  the  Remainers  being  well  found ,  y  our 

167 


50 


An  IntroduBion  to  Mercha?us  Jccompts, 


435 
ill 
^39 


240 


4-  VOYAGE. 


Debitor. 


For  100.  Pieces  of  Cambrix 
fliipt  at  3.  r.  each  Piece,  is -300.I'.- 


Creditor. 


ForSalesofSo.  Pieccs,ac 
2.l'.i6,S.  is 224M'.- 

Unfold,  20.  Pieces,  at 
3.1'.  fc>  Piece, 60X.- 

Loft  by  Sales, i6.l'.-- 


Siimme— 300.1'. 

Phil.  Go  forward  in  the  order  of  your  Leagers  Ballancing. 

Sch.YikUy^hdWdinctyowx Commodities- acceunts -,  firft for  Proper:  then,  hxComfanj. 

Thil.  Suppofe  thera  all  fold  •,  and  there  is  Gaines. 
Sch,  The  firft  Voyage  is  a  Prefident. 

thil.  Suppofe  your  Commodities  to  be  f&ld  in  part. 
Sch.  The  fecond  Voyage  is  an  Inlbnce. 

Fhtl.  Suppofe  that  none  of  your  Commodities  are  fold, 
Sch.  The  third  Voyage  Hievveth  the  form. 

Phil.  Suppofe  lofTe  upon  the  Sale  ofpart  of  your  Commodities,  or  upon  the  whole. 
Sch.  It  lode  upon  part  Sales,  the  Fourth  Voyage  is  an  Inftance  ••  If  loiTe  upon  the  Sale  of 
a  whole  parcell :  See 

THE  FORME. 


Debitor. 

For  i^.Butisof  Sackcoft 
with  charges. 


-134.  r.8. 


Creditor, 

For  Sale  of  1 6.  Butts,  at 
8.  f .  6.  is 


Loft  by  the  Sale- 


-i.r.  12 


Summc  i34.i'.8. 

tinder  ths  name  o^ Commodities  in  the  fecond  branch  of  the  10.  place,  is  included  //<?«/«, 
Lends,  Ships-farts  •,  upon  which  if  yoa  will  fee  the  yearly  Gain,  or  Lofle,  then  rate  theni 
as'theycoft-,  entring  them  in  Credit  as  in  the  fecond  Voyage:  thefi,  in  your  Honfe,  and 
Land  will  appear  what  is  gained  by  the  Rents,  above  reparation,  and  maintaining  of  them  ; 
and  in  your  Ships  parts  will  be  made  plain  what  is  advanced  by  their  Voyages,  more  then 
her  viiftualling:  carrying  your  Proper  Gains  or  Lofs,to  Profit  and  Lofs  proper  •,  and  Com- 
panies Gain,  or  Lofs,  to  Profit  and  Lofs  in  Company.  But  if  you  will  let  them  run  on  un- 
tiU  tlie  finall  ending  of  them  -,  then  crofs  them,  as  is  ihewed  in  the  fecond  Inftance  of 
Cambrix-dotb,  in  the  2op.  place. 

Phil.  What  followeth  next  in  the  Ballan^ e  order  -f 
■  Sch.  Sixthly,  ballance  your  Company  Profit  and  Lofs,  imparting  to  each  Partner  bis  due 
upon  fit  account:;  and  your  part  upon  Profit  and  Lofs  proper. 

Seventhly,  ballance  your  Partners  account,  tranfpeiting  the  difference  unto  your  Bal- 
lance-book  (as  inthe  218.  place  is  mentioned)  untill  the  finall  ballance  be  found  Eaven- 
weighty. 

Eighthly ,ballance  Cafb.and  Bank.carrying  their  differences  to  your  Ballance- boolf. 
Ninthly,  conclude  your  Profit  and  Lofs  proper,  carrying  the  difference  to  your  Stock- 
account. 

Tenthly,  conclude  your  Stpck-accounc ,  tranfponmg  that  difference  (ifvhich  is  tVic 

fumme 


168 


241 


/« IntroduBion  to  Merchants  Accompts.  51 

fumraeofyourEftatc)UQto  your  Ballance-book:   thea  oughc  your  Ballance  accoilnt  to 
be  equall- weighty. 


NOT  A, 


26ii 


Having  drawn  all  your  Leager  to  a  head  in  your  Billance-Book,  and  found  it  to  b  eright 
taken:  tbenmay  you  take  your  Journall in  hand,  and  poft  them  as  they  in  order  follow 
upon  your  Ballance-book,  unto  your  Ballance-account  in  the  Leager. 

Or  if  you  will  not  make  a  Ballance-account  in  your  Leager,  you  may  let  your  Ballance- 
book  be  your  private  contentment  $  and  trarifport  each  Ballance- parcell  out  of  the  Old 
Leager  into  the  New^  avoiding  your  Ballance- writing  into  the  Journall,  both  at  the  End 
ofthe  Old  Leager,  or  beginning  of  the  New.-  entring  into  the  Old  Leager  ihe/tf/»<7  whi- 
ther carried  into  the  New-,  and  in  the  New  Leager  the /f/i/ from  whence  that  remaineris 
broughtout  ofthe  Old  Leager,  and  fo  avoid  (perhaps)  the  writing  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred Journall- parcels  in  both  Leagers. 

^artkuUr  OhferVathu  upon  each  fide  ofthe  true-  ballance  In  Debit, 
and  Credit,  for  t/jc  Memories  refrefl)ing. 

T^/V.  Rehearfe  firft  the  Obfervations  that  arife  upon  the  Debitor-ftdeQi  Ca&Truc-bal- 
lance. 

if^Jn  a  much-Trafficking- Merchants- Books  are  five  things  to  be  regarded : 

rP(fe;/e— unto  whom  we  fold,  or  that  have  promifed  us  payment  of  Ex- 
Firftly.ofDe-  '  changes,  or  Aflignations,  and  the  like. 

iito'rs ,  and  <  ^^'''"^'''-^^^o  whom  we  have  delivered  Mony  or  Wares,  to  be  by 
them  in        '  ^^^^"^  imployed  for  the  Companies  good. 

I  /"^KJ/flw— thatferveusinCommiffion,—  Cvvho  as  yet  have  not  given 
K^Maften-vjhom  we  ferve  in  Commif-  ^us  full  fatisfaftion  :   Again, 

non, (^the  firft  of  thefe  two  may 

arife  from  Proper,  Fadorage,  or  Company- 
accounts. 
i'fiT^wi/;,  of  the  Unfold  Wares,  formerly  fliipt  to  another  Town,  or  Land,  there  to  be 
fold  for  Prefer,  Fa£iorage,  or  ComfAny^acaiqa . 

Thirdly,  of  Matters  as  yet  remaining  Unfold  under  our  own  Adminiftration:  coniiftinga- 
gajn  in  Wares ^  H0ufes,Lands,^emls,Shifs-fayts,zud  the  like  .•  whereof  fome  of  thofe  Wares 
m2y  he  hr  Proper,  Faiforage^ot  Company-acceunts :  and  thofe  Ships- farts  for  Proper,  of 
Company- accounts. 

Fourthly,  ofthe  Ready-mony  in  Ca{h,in  Bank,  or  in  both. 

Laflly,  of  Company  Gain,  and  LolTe  ^  ofthe  which  we  flill  keep  an  open-ftanding-ac- 
Gount,  becaufe  the  Company  continueth  in  Trading,  upon  unchangeable  terms.  And  thefe 
in  fubftance  are  ail  that  concern  the  Contents  of  Ballances-Debitor-fide. 

Phtt.  Proceed  to  the  obfervations  in  the  Creditor-fide  of  the  True  haUarice. 
Sch.  Four  things  are  heedfully  to  be  regarded. 

r/w/Ztf-of  whom  \ve  bought,  as  alfo,  whofe  Exchanges  we  accep- 

I  ted  ;  or  whofe  Affignmcnts  we  promifed  unto  their  Crc- 

I  ditor,  having  entred  their  Qeditor  into  my  book  in  place 

Firflly,  1  of  them.  ^ 

Btbt-demandtrt',     «|  P4r/»m— of  whom  we  have  received  Mony.  or  Wares,  toim- 

andthemin  ploy  for  Company-account,Unto  whom  (as  yet)  we 

Mdjlers-vihom  we  ferve  in  Commif- ^have  not  given  full  (-on- 

j  fion, Stent :   The  laft  of  thefe 

'l^/-f(7w;-that  ferve  us  mCommiffion,?  may  arife,   either   from 

Prefer,  Factorage,  or  COmfany-acciunts, 
H  a  stcor)di)y 

169 


51  /in  Introcfudton  to  McTchan  s  /Iconipts. 

Scccndl)^  Unfold- {^'^ra,  Houfes,  Landsy  letvds^  Rents,  Foya^es,  and  the  like  ••  upon  which 
accounts  theGiinsoj.Lor'S  (at  prefenc)  isnotdelired  to  be  kflown  ;  but  are  deferred  untill 
the  finall  fintfj^ing  ot  that  sfcounc,  tVien  to  know  the  General!  Gam^  or  Lefs  upon  the  fame: 
andthefe  for  Proper,  fome  for  Faciei  age,  and  fome  for  Company  accomxs. 

Thirdly,  in  Conpanies  Profit  and  LofsReckomngs,  becaufe  the  divificn  is  nor  made  in 
thefe  Old- books,  but  profecuted  untill  the  Companies  finall  finilTiing. 

Laft'lj,  in  Stock- accoHTit,  whofe  difference  muft  be  carried  to  Ballance  •,  for  that  difference 
muft  make  ycur  Ballance-account  Eaven- weighty  in  the  Generall  Addition :  Not  a,  for  in  it  is 
contained  the  trae  difference  between  the  Ready-  meny.  Wares,  Houfis,  &e.  Debitors  in  your 
Ballancedebit-fide,  and  the  Dek-demanders  in  the  Creditor  fide  of  your  Ballance-ac- 
counc.  Or  more  plain  5  take  the  whole  Debit- fide  of  yom  Ballance,  dedud  from  that  all 
that  you  owe:  and  the  differing  mony  will  be  Equall-neighty,  with  the  difference  brought 
from  your  Stock  account.  And  thus  much  of  the  fifth  matter ,  of  which  the  Journal  is  made, 


J43 


244 


HS 


Of  the  Journalls  Form. 

'7'/;//.  This  is  the /fftf^/Z^r^wt^  in  the  Eight  place:  of  which  let  rae"heare  yourExplica 
tion. 

Jf/^  The  i='tfr/»  is  generally  in  folio,  or  the  full  bignefs  of  the  Paper,  be  itfmall,orlarge: 
Ruled  towards  the /f/z-Z^^w^  with  w;f //«f,  and  towards  the  rtght-hind  mi\x  three  :  entring 
between  them  I'.  6.  fi.  as  in  the  Wafte-book  is,  and  in  the  Journals  Inftances  fha'.l  be  made 
plain. 

Some  ufe  two  lines  towards  the  left-hand,  as  doth  Simon  Stevin  in  his  Princely- hook- 
keeping- loiirnailufe  t\nee:  entring  therein  the  Day,  and  Montth:  but  that  maketh  the 
Journall  between  line,  and  line,  too  narrow.  My  manner  of  my  day,  and  Mtneths  entran- 
ces fliall  be  fliewed  in  the  Explication  of  the  Journals  Office. 

ThisBookis  by/owf  numbredoneach  leaves-fide:  the  beginning- fide witli  i. thefe- 
cond  Tvith  2.  and  fo  through  all  the  Book :  of  which  I  approve,  and  ufe  it.  For  in  a  Great- 
trafficking-  book  (as  an  Eafi,  We(i^  Turky,  or  the  like  Company)  feverall  fides  are  oft- 
times  filled  in  one  day  .•  fo  that  the  Margin  of  the  Leager  qxioteth  dire^ly  to  the  fide  of 
that  Journall-leaf,  where  the  dcfired  parcel]  is:  and  fo  avoideth  the  perufall  of  ncedleffe 
fides. ' 

Of  the  Journalls  Office. 

Phil.  Let  me  know  that :  for  that  is  the  third  Notable  matter  mentioned  in  the  Eighth 
place. 

Sch.  The  Journalls  Proper  office  is,  to  have  the  Matter  Cthereunto  appertaining)  entred 
in  Book-keepings  true  method,  with  mrds  fuitablc  to  the  ABioti  -,  plainly  expreffing  what 
ever  was  obfcurely  booked  in  other  books. 

Book-keepings  office  is,  tohodkt);\QSi^tdmztizx  in  the  true  NOmimtienoi  Debitor  and 
Creditor,  with  the  brief  ^yn  plain  j  Circumftances  of  the  A(aion.  HeedfuUy  in  this  Jour- 
nall muft  be  obferved,  that  the  Debitor,  that  is,the  M*n,ot  Thing,  that  ought  to  be  charged, 
be  firft  named,  and  placed  towards  the  left-  hand,  as  thus'.- 

lames  Mirth  is  Debitor. 

Then  enter  the  Creditor,  Man,  or  Thing,  that  bught  to  be  difcharged,  as  thus 
Umes  MirthisDehlior  to  lohn  Melody. 

Unto  them  annex  the  quantity  of  Mony,  as  thus : 

Umes  Mirth  is  Debitor  to  Fohn  Melody  3 oo.l'.  1 2 .0. 8.tj. 

There-unio  addc  the  reafon  why  the  One  Man,  or  Thing  is  indebted  to  the  other ;  and 
this  is  gathered  from  the  aded  matter. 

Phil.  As  how : 

Sch'.  Compare  the  Waftebook  parcels  in  th'e  6.  place,  with  the  enfuing  Journall  parcels 
framed  out  of  them,  and  the  Reafons  may  appear  by  the  Circumftances. 

~A»n» 
170 


54" 


^n  IntroduBion  to  Merchants  Jccompts, 


I    Dfto  IS  Debitor  to  Bank  569.  f.  1 3. 10,  t  fi.  written  by  his  order  upon  thel  il  (  6 
.5_  I  account  oi^oha  ^ohnfen  ytnck^  being  the  full  of  the  before- mentioned  ex- 
^     change-,the  fumme  written  in,  is 


S- 


36P  IJIOi 


5_ 

T 


24<5 


D//0  is  Debitor  to  Profit  and  Lofs  3.  I'. 14.8.15.  for  Bank-raony  of  $1 
2  »40. 1 1 .4.  pen.  at  one  fcr  centum^  is 


*47 


248 


£^m4r^  £)(?»«  of  Northampton,^/^  account  by  me  in  Company,  is  Debi- 
tor to  Dito  Edrvardhis  account  of  Readj-monj^  213.1'.— 5  J  fi.  for  his  5*^  of  gl 
3834.8.i2,pen.  produft  of  18.  Laft,  7.  Mudde  of  Company  Rye,  fold  to 
lacoh Johnfo^ir  i^  above;  f  thereof  is^ — 


.3  14' .8 


213 


24P 


550 


Phil.  What  fignifie  thofe  Fradions  i  f,,and  the  like>  in  the  Margine  ^ 
Scfj.  Fradlions  they  are  none :  but  fignifying- figures  concerning  the  Leager :  for  the  Fi- 
gures above  the  ftroke,  fhew  upon  what  Leager- Leafe  the  Debitoi-s  are  to  be  found ;  and 
the  Figures  under  the  ftroke,  point  unto  the  Creditors  in  the  faid  Leager. 

Phil.  Why  are  fome  pointed,  and  not  other  fome  1 

Sch.  Thofe  that  are  pointed,  are  tranfported  into  the  Leager,  the  other  not. 

Thil.  Some  do  not  point  at  all. 

Sch.  They  are  fubjeft  to  miflake,or  they  rauft  enter  each  figure  above>  and  under,  when 
they  have  entred  the  parcell  into  their  Leager,  and  that  is  tedious.  The  point's  are  very  re- 
quifitc  to  avoid  OmidionSjOr  not  to  charge  one  fumme  twice,  if  a  man  fhould  be  called 
from  his  porting. 

Fhtl.  When  do  you  enter  the  figures  above,  or  under  the  ftroke  i 

Sch.  I  lay  the  Journall  open  before  me,  making  firft  the  ftraight  ftrokes  that  are  betweeo 
the  figures.againft  each  parcell,  on  both  fides  of  the  Journall :  then  do  I  enter  the  folio,  or 
leaves,  or  thofe  figures,  before  I  touch  the  Leager. 

Phil.  How  then  1 

Sch.  Then  fetting  my  Journall  teforc  me,  I  tranfport  all  the  Debitors  and  Creditors  Cthat 
correfpond  upon  one  Leager- leafe)  one  after  another  into  the  Leager  5  then  removing  my 
hand  from  the  Leager,imTiiediateIy  I  fet  point  by  that  Debitor,or  Creditor ,that  is  pofted 
into  the  Leager,  without  removing  of  my  Journall, 

Thus  much  in  brief  of  the  Matter^  Form,  and  office  of  the 
Journall  mentioned  in  the  ninth ^lace. 


171 


12 
10. 


21 
10. 


4 
3  . 

8. 


S  . 


Jmo  ]6i^*  the  7.  day  of  f me  in  Londorio  (i; 


fent  payment  for  Company- ufe,  being- 


11"]. Thomas  TruB  at  Antwerp  for  company  of  Randall  Rice  f  ,and 
f  for  me,  our  account  of  Time,  debitor  to  Voyage  to  Antwerp,con- 
figned  to  dito  Thomas  for  our  ccmpaov  ; ,  and  j  I',  1 5 1 5.  7. s.  for 
the  enfuing  Wares  fold  by  hira :   the  particulars  are,  viz. 
8.  Bales  of  Pepper,  producing  clear  R.eady-mony, 

asby  the  account 01.2753.9.4. 

30.  Butts  of  Ssvidt  to  laques  Gcrritfer,-,  part  at 
2.  moneths,  producing  (whereof  7  is  received) 
as  by  the  account,  clear  mony -gl.  12400. 


5I.  i5i53.P'4'  pen.  reduced  at  10.  gt  or  33.6.4.8.  are- 


1 18.  Dito  Thomas  for  our  company,  as  abovcour  account  of  Rea- 
dy-mony,  debitor  to  the  faid  Thomas  for  company  R.R,  ^,  and  7  me 
our  account  of  Time  T.  1 102.— 4.55.  for  Ql.i  1020.3.9.  pen.  by  him 
rec-'ived  of  the  before  entred  mony,  is  here — —        — 


The  i^.day  of  June.  1634. 


1 19.  Debitors  to  lacoh  Sjmonfo/i  his  account  of  Carabrix-doth, 
1.405.  fordo.  Pieces  fold  joyntly  tothe  enfuing  parties,  at  6 f. 
15.0.  upon  an  equall  (hare,  314.  moneths  time,  viz^ 

J-amts  WflkJnfon  20.  Pieces l'«i35' 

George  Finchhack  20,  Pieces ^•I35« 


Aitdrsrv  Hitchcock  2o.Piece$- 


The  Rule  in  the  244.  place 
is  contra- di^ied. 


-r.isJ. 


no,  ^aceh  Sjmorifon  his  account  of  Cambrix- cloth,  debitor  to 
Ca(h l'.i.7.S.  for  Brokage  of ^.405.  at  7  fer  centum,  is —    


izi.Dito  to  Profit  and  Lofsf.S.i  2.6.  for  the  enfuing  particu- 
lars, viz. 

For  Ware-houfe-room  zti.'t'fer  Piece  I',— 10. 7 

'       ■  "        — 1'.8.2.5' 


For  Provifion  of  Sales  at  z.fcr  C.- 


_6. 
13 


122.  Dito  to  ^acob  sjmonfon  his  account  Currant  T.  390.14.0.  for 
the  neat  proceed  made  goodthere,without  my  prejudice  of  debts, 
yet  {landing  out  upon  4.  moneths  time:  the  fum  now  tranfported.is 

123.  ^ean  da  Bop  for  company  Rmdell  Rice  f,  and  f  for  me,  our 
account  Currant,  debitor  to  Thomas  Trufl  for  dito  company  f ,  and 
four  account  of  Ready-mony  l'.io92.i7.io  .$,  forgl.II02o.re- 
mitted  in  his  own  Bills,  dated  their  2.  prefent,.-  payable  by,  and  un- 
to himfelf,  exchange  at  121.8.  are  ^^ .  3642.  58.6.8,  and  hereat 
72.$ — 


The  2^.  day  of  lime  1624. 


124.  Randoll   Rice  his  account   Currant,   debitor  to  Diego 
dd  Farm  his  account  of  Fruits  I'.  541.  4«  S,  9«  fi- for  feveralj 

M  forts 


31 
145 


S 


II  — 


1515 


II<52 


-4 


405- 


.1. 


.8.12 


-1 


390 14 . 


1092  17 


10 


172 


10, 


10. 


13' 
J3 


I. 

I. 

'13 


188.  Dito  Ctmfa»j  their  account  of  Time,  debitor  to  BalUnce 
ll^i'i^.S.S.  due  to  thera  for  conclude  of  this  accaunt,being 


Jnno  \6i^^  the  10  day  offuly  in  London,    (ip 


185.  Raindo'd Rict  his  account  by  me  in  company  debitor  to  Bal- 
lance  I.9PI.7.6.5.  for  fo  much  due  to  him  upon  this  account 


iS5.  Hertdrick  vander  Linden  i,  ^obn  van  Ddts  ^,  ^tques  Reinjl  t, 
their  account  bf  comtitoditics,  debitor  to;  BalUnce  l,i94'  ^^*  ^'  6* 
for  160,  Pieces  of  Figs,  and  4.  Bales  of  Pepper  fold,  being  the 
whole  Wares  in'Credit,  tranfport^  thus  to  have  the  account  com- 
pleat  in  ne\v  books,  as  it  here  ftandeth :  the  mony  is 


187.  bito  Companj  their  account  of  Ready- mony  debitor  to  Bal- 
/4;7«  1 97,7.7.^  for  conclude  due  to  them 


i2p.  SaHance  debitor  toCaflTr,947.2.i.$.  and  is  for  fo  much  by 
condude  remaining  therein,  and  tranfported,  being 


190.  Profit  and Lofi  debitor  to  Stock  l'.io46.8.io.6.  forgaines 
in  this  handle,  tranfported  to  conclude  this  account,  being 


191.  Srofit  debitor  to  Ballance  l'.2902.i2.7.$.  for  the  difference 
ofthat  account,  being  my  prefent  Eftate  5  and  tranfported  thither 
tacondude  this,  being ^    


End  of  the  foUrnaU 
A. 


% 


991 


Sifl 


.6 


19412 

99 
9319 


.i 


P47 


1046 


2p02 


12 


.8 
.i 

10 
.7 


173 


OF 


THE  LEAGER. 


Aving  (in  form  as  is  inftanced  )  entred  all  the  trading- parcels  of 
Merchandizing  into  the  Journal!  in  fuch  after-Following  man- 
ner as  (hey  daily  happened  j  then  hath  the  'Book  owfur  his 
whole  Trading,  with  all  the  Circumftances  in  writing!  but 
not  in  fuch  fort,  that  he  , is  able  to  confer  with  any  man  about 
his'accounts  :  for  each  mansfevcrall  Parcels  arc  difperfedthrough  the  whole 
Journall ;  neither  doth  ic  (in  drawing  an  account  to  a  Head  upon  a  Paper) 
content  the  mind,  fearing  that  any  Parcels  might  be  miftakenor  omitted. 
Upon  the  like  Reafon  we  may  conjecture  the  Obfcurity  in  knowing  what 
mony  isinCafh,  what  weight,  meafurCjandqiiantity  of  any  Commodity 
might  be  in  the  Warehoufe ;  what  Profit  or  Loffe  there  is  upon  any  fort  of 
Wares,  or  Matter,-  what  Weekly,  or  Moncthly  debts  arc  to  be  received^or  payd 
for  Wares, or  Exchanges:   and  many  fuch  like. 

For  the  avoyding  of  all  fuch  diffidences,,  the  Journall  Parcels  mud  be 
tranfporced  into  t\\tLeager  in  fuch  manner,  that  all  what  doth  concern  one 
mans  particular,  muft  (under  one  accounts  Title)  be  gathered  together,  to  wif, 
all  \\\sT>chit  parcels  upon  the  Left-hand  5  and  ail  his  Cr^tiJt  parcels  upon  the 
Righr-hand  of  the  Opoi  lying  Leager  .^  of  the  which  manyinftances  follow  in 
theLeager  :  the  like  manner  muft  beuQd  in  each  fort,  as  Monj,  Wares  ^Teople^ 
or  what  ever  elfe  ♦,  each  muft  be  gathered  together  in  an  Exquifite  form,with 
few  words. 

The  thing  charged ,  or  Dehitor,  muft  have  its  dilcharge,  or  Creditor ^ 
even  oppofice  againft  it  felfe  when  the  Leager  lieth  open.  In  this  Leager, 
where  fo/.  ftandeth  between  the  lines  before  the  L,  both  upon  the  Righc 
and  Left-hand,  are  many  Arithmetical  Chara(f;ters.  The  Charaiter,  Cha- 
radlers  or  Figures  that  ftand  between  the  two  lines  upon  the  Debitor 
fide,  point  (as  with  a  finger)  unto  the  Folio  where  each  fevcrall  lines  Cre- 
(liter  ftandeth  in  the  faid  Book,  vthether  ic  be  upon  the  fame  Leafe ,  or 
elfe  where :  Contrarily,  the  Figures  that  ftand  between  the  two  lines 
upon  the  Cr editor Sidcy  point  at  the   Folio    where   each   fevcrall    lines 

^Debitw 


174 


Of  the  Leager. 

Dehtor  ftandeth  in  the  faid  Book,  whether  upon  the  fame  Leafc  or  elfc- 

where. 

In  Brtef^ 

The  Owner,  or  the  Owing  thing, 
Or  rvhat-fo-evcr  (omes  to  thee  • 
Ufon  the  Left-hand  fee  thou  bring  5 
For  there  the  fame  mttji  f  laced  be. 

But 

the  J  unto  whom  thou  doefl  owe^ 
Upon  the  Right  let  them  befet ; 
Or  rvhat-fo-ere  doth  from  thee  go  > 
To  place  them  there  do  net  forget* 

This 

Book  fiieweth  our  trtie  E^ate  in  each  particular  account ;  whether  Bou^ht^ 
Sold,  Sent, or  Received,  Commodity:  People  with-in,  or  without  the 
Ltnd  ;  Exchanges  which  way-fo-ever ,  and  the  Coynes  of  thefe  feve- 
rall  places ;  fa^ofa^e  ,  Coml>any  ^  or  what  account elfe  belongeth  to  Trafjick: 
So  that  the  Leader  is  thcMirrm  by  which  onely  the  Eftatc  can  trulj,  aad 
/)/4i«/)ibedifcerned. 


Ot 


175 


1^54. 


o 


5 
9 

10 
12 


1^54. 


- 1 

8 
22 


14 

14 

14J  2 

I6'll 

3d^20 
1620 


Foil.)         /««o  i^;;.  in  London, 


Cafh  is  Debitor. 

Janu.  To  Stock,  for  feverall  coynes  of  mony ■      — 

Felir.  To  Ucol>  Sjmonfen  his  account  Currant —         — 

April  To  George  Pinchhack,  received  in  full; — 

MayToFigst-K.ii.  tforme 

Dito  to  UmesWUkinfort^  received  to  clear  a  truck 

June  To  Diego  del  rarifio  his  account  of  Ca(h — 

Dito  To  Profit  and  Loffe,  gained  by  Diego's  fruits 

July  To  GeergePincback  received  by  his  Affignment — 
Dito  To  liicob  Sjmonfon  his  account  Curraint- —         — 

Dito  To  Randall  i^ce  his  account  Currant — 

Dito  To  Andrew  Hitchcock  received  in  part —  — 

Summe — 


Fol 


s 


.  I 

2 

3 
9 

4 
12 

7 

3 

2 

6 

II 

IL 


1000 

.328 
..9 

5»5 

102 
.25 

.13 

4^5 
.28 
284 
100 

iPo3 


15 

10 

II 

10. 

•4 
.&. 
.  I 
16 


•7 
II 

I 
7 

5 

7 
8 


13 


I 

ip 


I 

20 


Stock  is  Debitor. 


Jana.  To  lacob  Sjmonfon  his  account  Carrant — 
July  To  Bdlmce^  for  conclude  carried  thither — ■ 


Sdmme— 


1^33-    .1 


.  I 

20 


Wdres  are  Debitors. 

Jana.  To  Stock,  refting  unfold — 
July  To  Profit  and  Lofle  gained 


Samme— 


n 


la 


60^0 


90 


-  2 
13 


150 
2902 

3052 


12 


.1 

7 


477 
92 


10- 
10- 


IL     570 


176 


1^54. 


j6^^. 


'^34. 


1533. 


Dy 

4 

9 
30 
•P 
21 

13 


6,22 
6|- 
6,29 


7 
10 

12 -7 

12.  7 

12.  7 

I3|i5 

IP20 


19 


20 


>3 

21 


yf««o  i<5^5«  in  London,         Fol.  1 


Ci//?  is  Creditor. 

Janu.  By  George  Pinchhack^  paid  in  part- 
Diro  By  ^ames  Wilkinfen^  paid  in^part— 
Dito  By  George  Pinchbeck,  paid  him- 


Febr.By  lac.Symo^ifon.his  account  of  Couch3neille,payd 
Dito  by  voyage  to  Lisborn.configned  to  Dfcgodd  f-'d«- 
w  for  company  },andt  paid —  — 

March  by  Danfick-exchange  for  Arthur  Mump,  and  me  I 
Dico  By  Kerfies  in  Company  j  lacob  Sjr»o»forty  7  for  me 
Dito  By  Uceb  Symenfon  his  Cambrix  cloth —  — 

Dito  By  laceh  Sjmonfon  his  account  Currant —  — 

Dito  By  Figs  in  company  t  R.  R.  f  for  nie — 

Dito  By  Hcndrick  vandcr  Linden,  and  Company  their  ac- 
count of  commodities, for  charges — 

April  By  Silver,  for  charges  of  8.  Barrs — 

May  By  Randoll  Tijce  his  accQunt  Currant — 

Dito  By  Amfterdam-exchangei  {ox  Jacob  SymMffon — 

June  By  Diego  del  varino  his  account  of  Cafli — 

Dito  By  Figs  in  Company  ^  R.R.-,  for  me; 

Dito  By  Andrew  Hitchtock  paid  him ■  ■ 

Dito  By  lacob  S y mofif on  his  accomtoi  Cambrix-cloth-- 
July  By  BallaKCCi  iranfported  thither  to  conclude  this- 

Summe — 


8 

4- 

8 

2 
9 

10 

10 
.  6 
1 1 

I  2 

•9 

I I 
.8 

13 


Stock  is  Debitor. 

Janu.  By  Cafli,  for  feverall  coynes  of  mony —  — 

Dito  By  Wares  for  fundry  forts  unfold — 

Dito  By  Kettles  for  5.  Barrels  unfold —  —  — 
Dito  By  lean  dn  Boys  at  Roan  my  account  Currant— 
Dito  By  lacob  Symonfon  my  account  by  him  in  company 
Dito  By  lacob  Symonfon  his  account  of  Couchaneille— 
July  By  Profit  and  Lolfcj  gained  by  this  handle—       — 

Samme— 


L,  1 


wares  are  Creditors. 

Janua.  By  Kerfies  in  company,  by  melayd  in--  ..  90 

March  By  lacob  Symtn[orf^  fold  to  him—  —  ^°  •  • 

Summe—  6090 


% 


144 

120 


d 


13516.8 
;•  5  .5.4 


^94 

200 

. .  2 


.g.tf 


t' 


8 


0 
6 


•  99  y  9 


2510 

•7316 

••  1-7 
947.2 


I 

.6 

7 

.2 


2903 


1000 

477 
•55 
240 
229 

••  3 
1046 

3052 


270 
300 

570 


'3 


17 
8 


12 


.8 

la 


177 


16J4» 


Day 


y)  Mno  \6i\  in  London, 


3 

7 

17 

1 8 

i8 


1534.    17 

17 


23 
29 

20 


17 

20 
20 
20 


Trcftand  Lojje  in  company  >.  for  RandollKice^znd 

i  for  me,  Debitor. 

Jaou.  To  Profit  and  LolTe  for  charges  of  aRemife 

March.  To  lean  da  BojSy  for  his  Proviiioo,  and  Brokage— 
July  To  Thomas  Trufi^om  account  of  Ready-monyjloft 
Dito  To  RM.RJce^his  account  by  rae  in  comp.fot^  gains 
Dito  To  Profit  and  Lofle,  for  my  part  gains 

Summe- 


Trofitofid  Lo^^,  Debitor. 

Febru.  To  74ff^  Sftnonfon  my  account  of  Ready- mony, 

for  his  charges,  being  Brokage,  and  Provifion -' 

July  To  Iac.  Symonjhn  my  account  of  Ready-mony,loft 

Dito  To  Silver,  loft  by  the  fale  of  8.  Barres. 

Dito  To  Stock,  gained  by  this  handle — 

Summe— 


-ol 

L 

S 

^ 

7 

211 

II 

6,          2  11 

.3 

»3 

p. a 

.6 

.6 

444.9 

.S 

•7 

296.  6 

•J 

— 

_- — — 

— 

11 

.755;! 

.9 

— 



1^ 

— 

3 

,1° 

.  £ 

3 

25- 

IX 

lO 

.3.P 

.2 

.  I 

1046 

.8 

10 

11 1075. 811 


1^34. 


1820 

1820 

18 

18 

18 

18 

18 

18 


20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 


'Ballayice^  Debitor. 

July  To  ^Acob  Sfmenfon  my  account  by  him  in  company 
Dito  To  ^eandu  Bojs,  for  company  R,R.\^me\  Currant- 
Dito  To  Hen.  van.  Linden^ztid  comp.  their  commodies- 
Dito  To  Voyage  to  Antvv.  in  comp.  R.  B.  i,  and  f  me — 
Dito  To  Andrew  Hitchcock  due  to  me  by  conclude 


Dito  To  Arthur  Mttmferfon  my  account  by  him  in  comp. 
Dito  To  Tho.  TruftSox  comp.^./?.  t,mef  our  Time  acco. 
Dito  To  Figs  in  comp.for  lacob  Symonfon  f  ,and  f  for  me- 
Dito  To  Caih,  retting  therein,  and  brought  hither 

Surarae 


2 
6 

lO 

10 
II 
12 

12 

13 
.  I 

IL 


301 
1092 

194 
189 
446 

402 

413 
806 

947 
4794 


.8 

1710 

12. 1 
12  — 

12.  P 
12. 1 
.  6 .  S 
.611 


•  3-^ 


178 


17 
17 

1? 


Day 

20 
20 
20 
20 


^«wo  i^54.»  iVi  London.  f  7 

CoMfr<J,  Creditor. 

July  By  Voyage  to  Lisborn  for  dito  company  gained — 

DitoBy/MW  du  Bop^  for  dito   company,  gained 

Dito  By  Idcob  Symonfon,  tor  dito  company,  gained 

Dito  By  Voyage  to  Antwerp,  for  dito  company,  gained- 

Summe — 


5 
6 

9 

10 


il 

B 

6 

H 

2 

.8 

80    II 

•7 

60 

— 

.6 

600 


75 


■7- 


x^33- 


1534. 


1534. 


3 
4 
5 
8 

9 

II 

13 
14 
15 
15 
J? 
17 
17 
17 
17 

17 
18 


^3 
•9 

13 
15 

22 

22 

15 

23 

2 

II 
20 

o 
20 
20 
20 


lp20 
IpJ20 

I9|io 
1920 

3^920 


contra^  Creditor. 

Janu.  By  Profit  and  Loffetn  company  f  R.R.^me — 
Febru.  By  laccl^  SymoNfon  his  Couchancille,  for  provifion 
March  By  Kerfies  in  comp.  J  and  j  for  provifion  &  gains 
April  ^ylaccb  ^ymo/rfo»  my  acco.by  him  in  comp.gained 

Dito  By  Datifick-exchange,  gained  by  the  fame 

May  By  George  Pinchhack  upon  Sugar  gained —       — 
June  By  lacot  Sjmonfon  his  Cambrix  for  provifion 


Dito  By  Cafli,  for  provifion  of  P/V^^c  his  Fruits —    

July  By  Amftcrdam-exchange.mcompany,  gained — 
Dito  By  Figs  ^,  and  f  in  comp.tor  provifion  and  gaines— 

Dito  By  Wares  gained  thereby- •  —      — 

Dito  By  Kettles,  gained  thereby —  —   — : — 

Dito  By  lean  du  Bays  my  account  Currant  gained 


Dito  By  Voyage  to  Amflerdam  configned  to  /.f  gg^ine^ 

DitoBylntereft-reckoning,  gained  thereby —         

Dito  By  Voyage  to  Lisborn  f ,  and  3  for  my  gaines 

Dito  By  Profit  and  LolTe  t,  and  f  for  my  f  gaines 

Sumroe— 


7      i 

4128 
2. 50 
8|.  10 

.  8 

•13 

H 
P|ii4 

It  91 
2 .  20 

21.5^ 
4)111 
5I.  1(5 
■81.  53 

.  1V96 


12 
5 

19 
.3 
12 

•4 

15 

10 

•  5 

17 
.6 

17 
.6 


II 

.  2 


\A 


io75 


8 
5 

3 
.6 

.  2 

•  5 

if 


Balkme^  Creditor, 

July  By  lacob  Symenfonhk  account  by  me  in  company- 
Dito  By  Randoll  l^ce  his  account  by  me  in  company — 
Dito  By  Bend.vtinder  Lind,  and  comp.their  commodities 
Dito  ByBend.vand.  Linden,znd  comp.their  ready- mony 
Dito  By  Hend.vdnd.Lind.andcomp.thek  Time  account- 
Dito  By  Stocki  for  diiference  therejbeing  my  pref.eftate- 


Summe — 


'5 
6 

ID 
10 

13 


il 


512 '3 

991.7 
19412 


99 

93 
2901 

^19^ 


•7 
19 
12 


8 
1 


179 


!  I 


Anno  \6^  the  23,  ofOHoher  in  zJmJlerdam. 


23 


SURVEY   OF  THE 

General!  Ballance^  or 
Eftate-reckoning. 


Dito.To  Banck,  as  in  fol.  i .  appeareth- 
Dito.  To  Houfe  King  David,  fol. a  — 
Dito.  To  Sufanna  Peeters  Orphans  — 
Dito.  To  ^ack  Pudding  my  account 

Currant    —     -      — 

Dito.  To  Wines,  for  1 5  .Butts  unfold 
Dito.  To  French  Aquavits,  tor  58. 

Hogtheads  —  — 

Dito.  To  Rye,  for- 1 8.  Laft,  7.  Mudde, 

fol.  5 


Dito.  To  Coucbaneilie,  as  in  fol.  4.  ^ 

Dito.  ToBrafi!,as  infoW ■ 

Dito.  Tolntereft-reckoriingjfol.  — 

Dito.  To  Profit  and  LofTe,  fol.  

Dixo.  To  Voyage  to  Lonaon,con(ign- 

tdto ^'ack Pudding, io],  -— 

Dito.  To  Voyage  to  Hambroughjfol. 
Dito.  To  Voyage  to  Danfick,  fol.  — 
Dito.  ToInfurance-reckomng,tol.  — 
Dito*.  To  Caih,  as  appeareth  in  fol.  — 
Dito.  To  Cambrix,  1 1 .  Peeces  unfold 
Dito.  To  Sliip  the  Rain-bow,  fol.  — 
Dito.  To  Hans  van  Ejfen  at  Ham- 

brough,my  account  Currant,  fol.— 
Dito.  To  P/eter  Bra(fefir  at  Danfick, 

my  account  Currant,  fol.  —  — 
Dito.  To5''«'^P«^/»^atLondon,his 

account  Gurraat,  fol. 


Summe  (Jl. 


Tlius  ought  your 
accounts  to  ftjnd 
at  the  fi  ft  view  of 
the  BooVc5,  when  e- 
vety  thin^  is  tian- 
(fioited  out  of  the 
WaftcBook  into  llie 
Lcager. 


(!!7UiI.i(li.;p. 

i3688'i7'.8 
.6213  15  I — 


.5573 

11328 

.  1260 


16  8 

1 
.6.8 


.5568  -^ 


.2877  15  .8 

10080  — 
1D888L  3 


.44 
320 

7810 

2353 
1967 

3463 
29561 

8qoo 

1043 


2 


130544. 


8 


Thus  ought  your 
Second,  or  Tnall- 
Etilfance  to  (land 
wiih  the  Loflcs. 


(5\.\il 

5555 

.713 
2648 

I250 


1533 

70 


2600 


27153 
440 


HLW, 


2   — 


14 

.6   .8 


60 
53 


15 


II  — 


8  - 


12 


42124  10 


Thus  ought  yout 
True-Bjllance  to 
ftand ,  which  you 
tranlpoit  ioto  your 
New-Books. 


d^ui!.  fJUp. 


555-5,    i 

.713  14 

4648  .6 
1160  — 


1533   15 


t^o'  — 


27153 
440 


8 


41P04  . 6 


180 


Anno  1^3^.  the  23.  ofOBober  in  Amjlerdam, 


SURVEY  OF    THE 

GeneralUBallance,  or 
Eflate-reckoning. 


Creditor. 

23  Dito.  ByBanck,asinfol.i.appeareth- 
Dito.  By  Houfe  King  David,  tol.2.  — 
Dito.  By  Stifanna  Peeters  Orphans  — 
Dito.  By  ^ack  Pudding  my  account 

Currant   — -    — -    —   ■ 

Dito.  By  French  Aqua-vits  58.  Hogf- 

heads  fold   —     —  — 

Dito.  By  Rye,  for  1 6.  Laft  fold,  fol.  3 . 
Dito.  By  Couchaneille,  as  in  fol.  4.  - 
Dito,  By  Brafil,  as  in  fol.  4.  —   — 

Dito.  By  Intereft-reckoning,  fol. 

Dito.  By  Profit  and  Loffe,  tol. 

Dito.  By  Voyage  to  London,  fol.  — 
Dito.  By  Voyage  to  Hambrough  — 
Dito.  By  Voyage  to  Danfick,  fol.  — 
Dito.  By  In'urance-reckoning,  fol.  — 
Dito,  By  Ca(h,  as  appeareth  in  fol.  — 
Dito.  By  Cambrix-Cloth,  fol.  

—  I  Dito.  By  Ship  the  Rain-bow,  fol.  — 

—  Dito.  By //4 wvrf»  £/fw  my  account- 

—  Dito.  By  Peeter  Brajfeur  myaccount- 

—  Dito.  'E>y ^ack Pudding ditLondotiyhii 
account  Currant   —    —   

Dito.  ByStock,  formyjuftEftate  — 


Thus  ought  your 
accounts  to  (lend  ai 
Ihc  firft  vi'w  of  your 
Books ,  when  each 
parcel  15  tianrpoit- 
<d  Out  of  the  Waftc- 
Boofc  into  the  Jour- 
nal! aad  Lcagcr. 


Summe  q\, 


(!?UiI. 

8133 

7538 
4860 

9145 

6960 

1788 

13950 

10817 

102 

394 
8350 

3816 
3805 
3576 
2408 
8105 
1432 
3720 

3752 


III.  I  p. 


15 

.  2 


12 

12 
16 

.7 

.6 

14 
6 

3 
12 

12 


32941 18 
24592 


130544 


15 


Thui  ou^hr  your 
itcond  ,  or  TriiU- 
Ballante  \A  Hand 
with  (he  Cains. 


(?5U(1. 


(|i. 


Thus  ought  ycur 

True  Rait  inct  to 
Hand,  Mhich  you 
(rjnfpott    10  Nft»- 


I32S  - 


.465 


1392 

444 
3906 1 

58 

74 
3140 

1463 

1838 

113 

545 
389 


12 


2 
5 

.3 

13 

3 

12 


p.   (I5ml.lnf. 

7 


2377  18 


8 

•  I 
I 


P. 


-  ,   2377  18 


24592  -  -   39526  .8 


42124 


10  — 


41904  6 


181 


^ftertoorb 

^0  tf)e  reaber'g  otnn  jubgment  f)abe  hnn  left  tt)c  rnanj* 
comlusiiong  tfjat  are  to  be  braton  from  ttjese  reprobuctionss  of 
boofefeeeping'g  earliest  exponents. 

l^fje  autfjor  in  no  sense  htsirth  to  intrube  too  stronglp 
f)is  oton  ibeas  upon  f)is  reaber.  3t  fjas  been  i)is  intent  to 
s|)oto  clearlp  fjoto  tf)e  ibeas  expresseb  bp  ^acioli  in  tf)e  earlp 
Italian  bernacular  came  botun  tfjrougt)  manp  translations  into 
(German,  into  Butclj,  into  Jfrencf)  anb  lastlj)  into  Cnglisf), 
toitfjstanbing  all  t!)e  manp  cfianges  of  language,  surbibing  tfje 
"®arfe  ^ges"  of  fjistorp  anb  retaining  uncfjangeb  tijrougf) 
tfje  centuries  tfteir  claritp  of  tfjougljt  anb  purpose  until  tobaj> 
tfje  mobern  boofefeeeper  anb  tlje  professional  accountant  are  to 
be  founb  trubging  faitf)fullj>  in  tfje  footsteps  of  tf)e  jFranciscan 
Jfriar  of  mebiebal  times. 

i^atural  prejubice  or  partialitp  tobjarb  fjeralbing  abroab 
t\)t  imprint  left  hp  tfje  earlp  authors  of  fjis  motfjer  country  on 
JjiS  oton  profession  in  its  mafeing  is  to  be  expecteb  from  tf)e 
toriter  as  an  i|ollanber=born  anb  for  tfjis  reason,  if  no  otijer, 
fje  fjas  been  biffibent  to  bribe  fjome  tfte  conclusions  fje  fjimself 
tas  formeb.  3t  is  beboutlp  to  be  f)opeb  tfjat  tfje  reaber  bJill 
experience  tfje  same  pleasure  in  tfje  reabing  t^at  tfje  autfjor 
lias  tafeen  in  tfje  making  of  ttjis  contribution  to  fjis  fellotos. 


182 


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